The permits of Unique Development, the company planning a five-star hotel on Milos, are being thoroughly examined by the Ministry of Environment and Energy to clarify the legality of the building permit for the breathtaking Sarakiniko area. The ministry, through the relevant minister, Theodoros Skylakakis, reacted immediately to yesterday’s report by protothema.gr, issuing an official document to the Milos Urban Planning Authority (ΥΔΟΜ) ordering a halt to construction until the building permit’s legality is reviewed. The investigation has been assigned to the Independent Authority for Transparency.

Watch Drone Footage of the Ecological Disaster on Milos

The Ministry of Environment and Energy claims ignorance and, at the same time, surprise over the tourism project planned in an undeveloped area of exceptional natural beauty, known for its white volcanic rock formations and coastal caves, yet lacking any special protection status. Among other things, the ministry is examining whether the disputed land has access to a recognized road, as the Council of State’s established case law determines a property’s buildability based on road access.

The special urban planning project for the Western Cyclades, which includes Milos and will determine what and where construction is permitted (following the models of Mykonos and Santorini), is still in the process of being assigned for study. This means it won’t be ready for at least another two years. Until then, the ministry is trying to prevent irreversible developments by ordering a work stoppage and leaving the investment plan open for reassessment once urban planning regulations are finalized.

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Official sources state that the Sarakiniko case once again highlights the inconsistencies in urban planning administrations, which operate at different speeds—sometimes being excessively strict, causing bureaucratic hurdles for citizens, and other times not enforcing regulations properly. Following the controversy over the unconstitutional provisions of the New Building Code (ΝΟΚ) and the ongoing tug-of-war between the ministry and local authorities over building height restrictions, the debate on transferring urban planning responsibilities to the Ministry of Environment and Energy has resurfaced—despite strong opposition from the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (ΚΕΔΕ).

Since yesterday, the Ministry of Environment and Energy has taken the following actions to protect the Sarakiniko area: Issued a directive, signed by General Secretary for Spatial Planning and Urban Environment Efthymis Bakoyiannis, to the Independent Authority for Transparency, calling for an investigation into the legality of building permit No. 1134683/25-07-2024, issued by the Milos Urban Planning Authority for the construction of the hotel complex. Sent an official document from the General Secretary for Spatial Planning and Urban Environment to the Milos Urban Planning Authority, ordering an immediate work stoppage until the permit’s legality review is complete.

Announced the commencement of urban planning for the island, specifically the Special Urban Plan (EΠΣ) for the Municipality of Milos, which will include clear guidelines for protecting landscapes and natural environments in areas like Sarakiniko.

The Ministry of Environment and Energy has stated that it “will intervene immediately when issues arise concerning the protection of the natural and built environment, as seen in the cases of Mykonos and Santorini, enforcing checks on illegal constructions and suspending building permits if necessary.”