New beach rules remove deck chairs
Greece is introducing stricter rules for all its beaches in an attempt to combat overcrowding.Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime minister of Greece, announced in a recent TikTok video that the country will limit the number of deck chairs allowed on the coastline.Seventy percent of every Greek beach should now be free of sun loungers. On protected beaches, this number increases to 85%, and on some “untouchable beaches” deck chairs will be completely banned. Sun beds must now also be at least four meters away from the coastline.The new law also requires that half of the beaches remain open to the public, prohibiting hotels and beach businesses from monopolizing beach space and restricting access.The Greek government will hold electronic auctions for businesses and hotels to obtain licenses to use places on the beaches so that the government can monitor and manage those who work on the shore.Licensed enterprises will also be required to maintain sanitary cleanliness of beaches, provide access for people with disabilities and hire lifeguards.