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Greece sells 110 of its best beaches in the name of “development”

One hundred and ten of Greece’s best beaches are on sale by Greece’s privatization agency,  the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (TAIPED) in the name of supposed “development” and “utilization of public assets”. In fact a sale off of Greece best beaches for cash so that the debt-ridden country can pay back its lenders.

The beaches plots are to be on sale with “50 years of utilization by the new owners.”

In the list of TAIPED are featured among others Myrto Beach in Kato Achaia, Vasiliki Beach in Lefkada, Kalmitsi beach in Chalkidiki  and – what a shame – two beaches in Elafonisos, the small island between Peloponnese and Kythira, famous for its blue-green waters and light colored sandy beaches.

From the list of 110 beaches

Myrtoula beach, Kato Achaia area, West Achaia Municipality, Achaia

Korfoxylia, Magouliana area, Municipality of Gortynia, Arcadia

Agioi Anargyroi area, Municipality of Ermioni, Argolida, Peloponnese

Koronissia area, Arta

Kalamitsi, Municipality of Sithonia, Chalkidiki

Nea Propontida, Nea Irakleia, Chalkidiki

Nea Fokea area, Kassandra Municipality, Chalkidiki

Porto Koufo area, Toroni, Sithonia Municipality, Chalkidiki

Filizi area, near Naousa, Paros island, Cyclades

Apokofto or Agia Kyriaki, Agios Ioannis area, Tinos island, Cyclades

Ixia, Rhodes island, Dodecanese (via postin.gr)

Elafonisos

Breathtaking Sarakino beach and Simos beach in Elafonisos are furthermore under the protection of European Program “Natura 2000”.

elafonissos

For sale is a 175,000 sq m plot of Sarakino beach. While TAIPED warns the future buyers of Forestry, Enviromental and Legal restrictions, it notes that the investor could build Hotel and/or vacation homes.

The Guardian on Elafonisos

“Elafonisos has the best beach in Greece. So said more than one local during our stay nearby. It’s quite a claim given the reputation of the country’s islands, and you might imagine it would be hard for the beach to live up to expectations. But catching sight of it for the first time I found myself saying, “Wow!” Here was the fine sand and clear aquamarine water you rarely see outside of adverts for the Caribbean. The banner flapping gently over the entrance to Simos beach said it all: “Welcome to Paradise.”

However after the outcry in Greece and the fierce opposition by residents and local officials in Elafonisos, TAIPED announced the island beaches will not be for sale “now” but on a later point.

As the new draft bill for the ‘regulation of seashores’ foresees that the sold beaches must allow a small space for the public to use for free, it is really hilarious to see the plot of Sarakino beach for sale: it is marked with red ink. A tiny strip of beach is foreseen for free access for the public. The free beach is so small that it will allow swimmers to enjoy sun bathing most probably standing on their feet.

As I could not copy paste the picture of Sarakino beach, please, click in TAIPED list here in pdf and go to page 31/.

 

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8 comments

  1. Even Sithonia hasn’t escaped. It looks as though its days of being largely unspoilt are numbered. One can only hope that future developments will be better than the sort of thing that now blights much of the Kassandra peninsula.

  2. agatha mantanes

    Agatha Mantanes Well you can say goodbye to the greeks of the diaspora I asure you the money that wii be made from the hotels and tourists will not benefit Greece it will end up going out of the country to the corporations that build the hotels and condos and the greeks will get minimum celaries to become the Thoulous of the corporations.

    • Agatha I believe you are 100% right. I have seen it happen in the Caribbean and East Africa. Locals do not profit from those resorts, profits are made where the tourists book their holidays and therefore taxes are paid elsewhere.
      Leaving hardly any space for other people on those beaches will further damage the local businesses.

  3. This is like selling your soul to the devil.

  4. if they build a hotel on elefonisos i’ll burn the fucker down. the best beach i have ever found in greece

  5. This property for sale at Sarakiniko beach, Elafonisos island, is the majority of the sand dunes. These sand dunes are a sensitive and rare ecosystem included in the European NATURA 2000 network.

    Here’s how the Greek government intends to protect this ecosystem.

    Proposed Development Concept: Vacation homes and Hotels!!!