In response to a question about complaints and inspections carried out on beaches, the Minister of National Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis.

His entire statement:

“First of all, the complaints are not 6,500, they are 8,900, based on the latest data, of which about 1,100 are named and others are anonymous. There is categorization by regional section and by concession. On the ten beaches with the most violations, based on complaints, we have about 600 complaints. The Ministry’s direction is that the beaches that have the most complaints should be checked as a priority. So that our work is more targeted and more effective. This effort has already started, which is obviously facilitated by the MyCoast application. If we did not have this Government initiative, we would have had the last year, the year before that, which was known, on the basis of which the inspections were carried out, not in this logic and with this planning.

From here on having complaints, specific ones we will move forward, focusing on the concessions where we have more complaints and of course where there are named complaints. Because, presumably, the named complaints are considered more valid, without underestimating the others. The Government has already taken decisive action, although some have questioned it, on the notorious Rhodes beach, where there has been a sealing. It has also intervened in another infringing concession at Thymari, here in Attica and elsewhere. And you will see – I cannot tell you now for reasons you understand – what the next controls will be on the part of the Ministry and the relevant authorities. You will see that now in the next few days, there will be audits, which will be targeted and which will be precisely based on complaints that have been made through this application by our fellow citizens.

So, in short, a new legislative framework has been passed that is more modern, more useful. A law that obviously allows for a more measured development of business activity on the beaches, but at the same time allows the State to protect the environment, which is the national wealth. This law is the basis for moving forward. With this law we have moved forward in recent months with the new concessions, which were made centrally by the Ministry’s services. Electronically and transparently. This law provides for stricter fines. And MyCoast is also based on this law.

We are in contact with both the Ministry of Citizen Protection and the Police, as well as with the competent prosecuting authorities and, of course, with the ADPE and the State Land Services, so that as happened in Rhodes, as happened in Thymari, as happened elsewhere in other areas, in this way we can proceed this summer.”