SUNBED wars have returned to Greece as local authorities deploy drones to patrol beaches taken over by tourists’ lounges and umbrellas.
Furious residents are cracking down on the problem and have formed a protest group dubbed “the beach towel movement” to force authorities to take action.
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The group formed last year and has seen thousands take to the street and protest against paying extortionate prices to use sun loungers set up for tourists.
Greek authorities are now taking extreme measures to solve the issue amid the complaints.
New rules have been brought in dictating that umbrellas and deck chairs must be at least four metres from the sea.
Bars and hotels also need a licence to put loungers, umbrellas, tables and chairs out on beaches with some of the seafront having a blanket ban on the furniture.
As British tourists jet over to Greece for their summer holidays, the authorities are using satellites, AI and an app to enforce the new rules and root out the “illegal” use of sunbeds on thousands of the country’s beaches.
Video shows a drone being flown over rows of beds on the Halkidki peninsula – a holiday hotspot renowned for its idlylic beaches.
The first drone flight took off in May, and so far they have spotted rule breakers on Pefkochori beach who did not have a licence to set up shop so close to the water.
Pensioner Evgenia Rapti, 64, who has a summer home near Pefkochori beach, is concerned about the huge number of tourists coming to the country.
She said: “The whole beach has been taken over’ with tables, chairs and deckchairs.”
“When we bought our house 40 years ago, it was completely different,” Rapti added.
“The beach was empty and it was nice to lie there”, she continued.
Over on the popular tourist island of Rhodes, officials recently suspended the operation of a beach bar who had even put sunbeds in the sea.
Beach activist, George Theodoridis, said: “The problem with beaches in Greece is entrepreneurs who, either with a permit or through encroachment, cover parts of the coast with sunbeds, umbrellas, tables and even permanent structure.”
Many have riled against extortionate sun lounger prices – with two mattresses and a parasol for a day sometimes costing as much as €100 and usually being at least €40.
Luxury resorts along Greece’s many coasts are considered the worst offenders as they are accused of creating private beaches using public land and charging hundreds of dollars a day.
The “beach towel revolt” which began on the island of Paros last summer became a national movement, with Greeks who were fed up with paying such high sums to enjoy their beaches taking to the streets to voice concerns.
Efthymia Sarantakou from the University of West Attica told the BBC last year: “There is a] long-standing lack of oversight, which has led to increased impunity.”
Under the new regulations, up to 70 per cent of Greek beaches must now be free from sunbeds, while protected areas must be 85 per cent free.
Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis has now vowed to strictly deal with businesses who are flouting the rules.
“When we say there will be order on the shore, we mean it.” he said.
His ministry expects to award more than 1,200 new beachfront leases this year in a bid to regularise the situation, on top of the 6,500 that already exist.
Beach Towel Movement
Frustrated locals have been taking action as part of a protest dubbed the “beach towel movement”.
The movement began last year and has seen thousands object against paying extortionate prices to use deck chairs and instead demand free access to beaches.
New rules have now been introduced that stipulate that umbrellas and deck chairs must be at least four metres from the sea.
Bars and hotels also need a licence to put loungers, umbrellas, tables and chairs out on beaches – with some parts of the beach having an outright ban on the furniture.
Greeks who are tired of paying high prices to bag a comfortable spot to sunbathe have taken to the streets to voice their concerns.
Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis has now vowed to come down hard on businesses who are flouting the rules.
“When we say there will be order on the shore, we mean it,” he said.
Under the new regulations, up to 70 per cent of Greek beaches must now be free from sunbeds, while protected areas must be 85 per cent free.
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