The press representative of the Ministry of Finance, Omiros Tsapalos, spoke regarding the operation of the MyCoast platform.
Mr. Tsapalos pointed out regarding the platform: “One can now find out what is granted, what are the square meters, what are the obligations of businesses and also what is the free public space so that citizens can freely bathe on the beaches without paying no consideration in practice.”
Referring to the operation of the MyCoast platform, for complaints of abuses on beaches. “This application is available for free for everyone through our mobile phone,” he said.
He clarified: “By using polygons, the citizen can see which beaches and in what area are granted for business activity. In most of the cases that we experienced last year to a very large extent, there are extreme exaggerations so that it is very easy for a bather to find that there are indeed illegalities.
In other words, we are talking regarding twice as much space, while in the contracts there were specific square meters which were never respected by specific businessmen. We are talking regarding excesses in terms of building and placing arbitrary structures and so on.
So for a civilian I think because we did a lot of testing and used this app before it was released to the world and in the field it’s quite functional, easy to use.
While he added: “If we therefore see umbrellas beyond the polygon, it is clear and very easy for anyone to see that there is an illegality here.
Therefore, there is a possibility through this application, whether named or anonymous, for the citizen to denounce this arbitrariness that he considers to exist and then help the auditing authorities to come and do the job”.
Mr. Tsapalos clarified that a citizen cannot remotely send anonymous complaints to the auditing authority from his home. “You must be present and at that time to file your complaint through the application” he added.
He explained that we are currently in a licensing process and the system has not been fully implemented. “Until May 15, there are online auctions where anyone who wants to lease an area adjacent to a beach, seafront, etc. can submit their offer at a minimum price, for the first time – this has never happened before. Therefore, the overall picture, the new framework, will be seen from mid-June onwards, roughly across the country.”
He also announced:
“If someone enters the ETAD website, they can submit an offer themselves.
For example, for a beach that was put up for auction yesterday – which has to do with Rethymno – to make his bid without fear, without any threats, without bowling, without all these scenes that we experienced in the past with inflatables and so on .
(…) For many years there was a generalized regime of arbitrariness on the beaches and on the coast and in Naxos and elsewhere, but this is exactly what we are trying to solve now with this package of measures, which is not only the application I mentioned to you above, which according to in my opinion it is not a transfer of responsibility for the citizen.
It is the strengthening of the citizen’s right to report abuses and violations of his own rights. And to become an ally of the state, in order to protect a coastline almost equal to that of China. There is no controlling authority, no control mechanism in the world that can impose sanctions on such a large coastline.
That’s why we thought – intelligently I think – to bring the citizens into the game through this application, in order for them to become allies of this overall effort.
It is reasonable now if we go to a beach not to find a lifeguard, for example, not to find special facilities for disabled people, not to find adequate waste bins.
Those who now take part in the electronic auctions – and if they win in the auctions – are obliged to implement all of this within the next period.
The new law and framework will be fully implemented from around mid-June onwards.
So we believe that in July and August we will have the new image on the beaches and on the seaside, which I believe – and we believe this – will be completely very different, much better, much more improved than these images that we all experienced these years.
The “towel movement,” as we’ve called it, helped expose this big problem.
It was a catalytic factor in order for the state itself to undertake the initiatives it had to undertake. To be strengthened with personnel, as it was strengthened last year. And we managed within 45 days to carry out almost 4,500 checks throughout Greece and to impose more than 1,300 fines.
The echelons will be strengthened, more targeted checks will be made, drones will be used and new technology will be used.
Where there are consecutive complaints from citizens, whether named or anonymous, through the application, the authorities will rush faster and impose the corresponding fines.
And of course, let’s not forget that the law also provides for a much stricter fines – from two to 60,000 euros for violations in matters of umbrella seats, up to a permanent suspension of the operating license and no one being able to participate in electronic auctions once more – these are the most severe penalties that we might impose.
There have been no other corresponding penalties in other European countries with similar problems, which we believe will also play their deterrent role, in order to protect the citizen’s right to free beaches.”
He said, according to newsit:
“We have been to beaches and in Naxos as well, where there was a very big problem and I happened to be there last year, at that time when there were problems with sunbeds and I myself have seen cases of businessmen in front of me. They have been fined one day and the next day they come back and do exactly the same illegality.
And we re-sent echelon and basically sealed their business for the rest of the summer.
I want those who see us to know that the new framework for the concession of seashores and beaches is completely stricter than in the past.”
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