A controversy erupted on the island of Koufonisia after an entrepreneur attempted to operate a floating taverna on a beach protected under the EU’s Natura 2000 network. The move triggered strong backlash from local residents, who alerted the Hellenic Coast Guard.
Coast Guard Intervention and Arrest
Coast Guard personnel responded swiftly upon sighting the vessel — a converted cargo barge functioning as a floating refreshment stand — which had anchored without authorization on Italida Beach in Koufonisia late on Saturday, 11 July. A Coast Guard officer arrived on-site immediately, and the Port Authority of Naxos dispatched a patrol vessel.
During inspection, authorities confirmed the vessel lacked any permit for commercial activity. Although no transactions occurred while it remained moored, its presence alone violated environmental and maritime regulations governing protected areas.
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
The Naxos Public Prosecutor ordered the immediate removal of the vessel from the beach and the arrest of its captain under flagrante delicto provisions. The Port Authority of Naxos is now conducting a preliminary investigation into the incident.
Ianthi Stergiou, secretary of the cultural association of Koufonisi residents ‘I Keros’, told MEGA that ‘no legal permit can be issued for such an activity’ in this protected zone — underscoring the strict conservation status of the area.