Hundreds of cases of illegal construction work in Santorini have remained unchecked since 2020—posing a clear risk of statute of limitations expiring after five years—since only 20 inspections have been carried out by the competent Urban Planning Service during this period.

Front page of “Proto Thema” on Sunday, February 9

The island, which receives over 3 million tourists annually, has become the kingdom of illegal construction: according to the study for Santorini’s Special Urban Plan, approximately 50,000 square meters of illegal buildings have been constructed in Imerovigli alone, the most densely built area of the island!

Illegal construction in Imerovigli, the island’s most densely built area, where 50,000 square meters of unauthorized buildings have been erected.

In an official document dated February 3, the Naxos Court of First Instance Prosecutor’s Office once again raises the issue. The letter is addressed to the relevant authorities of Thira, Anafi, Ios, and Folegandros, shedding light on everything that has been happening for years—especially in Santorini.

Naxos Prosecutor’s Office: “We remind you that there is a large number of pending orders for site inspections concerning illegal construction work.”

According to this document, it is emphasized that “a large number of orders from the Naxos Court of First Instance Prosecutor’s Office for site inspections of illegal construction work remain pending (construction work without a permit, work without the necessary approval from the Archaeological Service, work exceeding the permitted building licenses, and even the erection of buildings with small-scale permits in Zone A, where construction is prohibited). Most of these violations occurred in Santorini in 2020 and 2021, yet no inspections have been conducted to this day.”

Reliable sources indicate that over 200 inspections have not been carried out, and in all cases, the illegal work is disguised as “retaining wall projects”—often concerning properties in the Caldera and other areas of the island where the constructions have already been completed. As the document points out, the inspections “have not been conducted despite repeated reminders from the police officers of the Thira Police Department, in order to complete the pending criminal case files in the preliminary investigation, with an immediate risk of offenses being time-barred and prosecutions against those responsible being abandoned.”

A telling example of the situation is an incident described by an island resident, involving a judicial official who, while out shopping at the supermarket, noticed construction work on a building in the Caldera. Knowing that no permit had been issued, she immediately notified the police, who rushed to the scene only to find that what the responsible parties claimed to be a “retaining wall project” was in fact an expansion with new rooms!

In an island that has been a world-famous tourist destination for decades, many have taken the opportunity to expand their businesses without the required permits—or with permits for completely different purposes.

The Order

That is why, in the document from the Naxos Court of First Instance Prosecutor’s Office, it is explicitly stated:

“YOU ARE ORDERED to conduct all site inspections concerning illegal construction work that took place in the first half of 2020 in Thira, Thirasia, Ios, Sikinos, and Folegandros, in areas where access has not been restricted by the competent authorities, as well as all pending inspections concerning properties outside such restricted zones.”

The head of the Thira Urban Planning Department, in his response to the Naxos Prosecutor’s Office, claims that the workload of his office is so overwhelming that, with the existing staff of only six people, it is nearly impossible to keep up. However, no explanation is provided for the alarmingly low number of inspections conducted.

The acting head’s response was sent to the Naxos Prosecutor’s Office on February 14. In it, he admits that hundreds of inspections from 2020 remain pending but defends this by pointing to the department’s numerous responsibilities and its extremely limited workforce.

Naxos Prosecutor’s Office: Conduct Inspections for Illegal Constructions in Caldera – Thira Urban Planning Department: We Have No Staff

Thira Urban Planning Department: “We Have Repeatedly Requested Immediate Staffing with Adequate Personnel to Handle the Massive Volume of Pending Cases”

Specifically, it states:

“Our department has received numerous official requests from your office, requiring the execution and drafting of inspection reports on illegal constructions. While we fully respect your institutional role, and despite more than a decade of correspondence regarding our chronic understaffing, we must highlight that, following the issued inspection reports, our department is repeatedly called upon by the Thira Police Department (following prosecutorial orders) in the context of preliminary investigations, under urgent procedures, to provide further clarifications or submit additional data on the status of these reports.”

The acting head then outlines the department’s responsibilities, which include site inspections, completion of unauthorized building protocols, inspections for dangerous or dilapidated structures, issuing of building permits, and seven additional duties—eleven in total.

As he explains, the staff consists of three engineers (one of whom is on unpaid leave for a second year), one technical engineer, one administrative employee, and one archivist.

“Therefore,” he concludes, “we once again request the immediate staffing of the Thira Urban Planning Department with a sufficient number of personnel to handle the enormous backlog of pending cases.”

Damage to a Monument

A particularly striking case of illegal activity in Santorini involves a businessman who has operated a food and beverage establishment in Perissa beach since 2012.

The establishment is located in a designated archaeological site and is adjacent to two protected ancient monuments: the Early Christian Basilica and the Middle Byzantine Church of Saint Irene.

The Cyclades Archaeological Service found unauthorized extensions and additions causing serious aesthetic damage to the monument. With the intervention of the Naxos Prosecutor’s Office, the business was sealed, but the businessman challenged the decision in court—and won!

Archaeological Service: Requests the Revocation of the Operating License for a Business in Perissa, Santorini, Within the Protected Zone

The Business: Challenges the Archaeological Service’s Decision and Wins in Court

However, on Thursday, February 18, the Aegean Decentralized Administration published a decision on Diavgeia (the Greek government’s transparency portal) rejecting the businessman’s appeal to the Municipality of Thira, stating:

“The case file clearly shows that the establishment and operation of this business were illegal, as the license was issued in violation of regulations.

As the decision further explains, “such a permit had neither been granted nor even requested from the archaeological service. Therefore, the business’s operating license, issued by the Municipality of Thira, was illegal and must be revoked.”

Taking into account all the available information, the Aegean Decentralized Administration rejected the businessman’s special administrative appeal against the decision to seal his business as unfounded.