Barrier on popular Mykonos beach causes uproar

A view of a large white barrier erected along a well-known beach on upscale Mykonos island has generated an uproar in Greece, weeks after a state archaeologist serving on the isle was roughed up in Athens and a resulting construction moratorium in areas outside town planning (zoning).

According to reports by in.gr, a commercial business has extended its activities far beyond a license it has for the specific site, the Panormos beach, while in the off-season it raises the barrier ostensibly to protect its facilities from the weather.

As is typical of modern Greek bureaucracy two separate entities, the Hellenic Public Properties Co. (HPPC), now a subsidiary of the memorandum-mandated super fund, and regional Real Estate Services, under the jurisdiction of the finance ministry, are responsible for awarding seaside and beach concessions.

In the case of Panormos, the concessionaire of the specific land plot (BK27) is Principote de Mykonos, which on paper has a license to serve food and drink, and which now is at the focus , of official probes into alleged building code and archaeological law violations.

A contract between HPPC and the Panormos Touristiki firm, commencing on March 30, 2022, shows an annual consideration totaling a litte more than 88,000 euros.

However, as photo posted on in.gr show, the area cited in the contract is only a fraction of the land now occupied by the business with so-called “temporary” installations and beach beds and umbrellas.

Images of the barrier-cum-fence circulated on social media, however, first irked public opinion and then finally generated an official probe.