Greek beaches plagued with overcrowding are facing a sunbed crackdown enforced by drones

16.07.2024 - 01:53 / euronews.com / Kyriakos Mitsotakis / Angela Symons

Greek beaches covered in deckchairs are becoming a rarer sight as drones patrol to enforce new rules.

Restaurants, bars and rental companies without a permit for beach seating are being targeted. 

The drones also scope out establishments placing seating too close to the sea - deckchairs and umbrellas must be at least four metres from the shore, according to legislation introduced in March. This means rental chairs are no longer allowed on beaches that are less than four metres wide. 

The drones are being assisted by local citizens via the MyCoast digital app, which lists legal establishments and encourages users to report violations.

Earlier this month, local news outlets reported that over 1,000 complaints were received resulting in over €350,000 in violations fines in just five days.

“Our goal is to protect, on the one hand, both the environment and the citizens’ right to free access to the beach, and on the other hand, to preserve our tourist product as well as the healthy entrepreneurship represented by business people who do the job right,” stated Greek Minister of National Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis.

Recent inspections have focused on 14 Greek beaches, in particular shielding those in protected ‘Natura’ areas from illegal placement of umbrellas and seating.

Kryoneri beach on the country’s northwest coast received 169 complaints earlier this month - the most of any. The majority concerned establishments were using a part of the beach that exceeded the agreed area. Nearby Valtos beach also received a number of complaints.

On the opposite side of the country, Lagonisi and Nea Heraklia beaches in Halkidiki were examined for similar violations, along with Klima beach on the island of Aegina and Masouri beach on Kalymnos.

Beaches in popular tourist destinations like Corfu and Rhodes have also been targeted.

The largest fine - €220,000 - was issued to a business found to be operating without a licence on Thymari beach in Anavyssos - an hour’s drive south of Athens.

The goal of both the app and the drone patrols is to enforce legislation introduced by the Ministry of National Economy and Finance back in March.

At the time, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis released a video on TikTok announcing the new rules.

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