More than 3,000 complaints regarding illegal activities and violations at Greece’s beaches have already been filed with the Ministry of Finance even before July officially began. Although the situation has slightly improved compared to last year’s summer season, a total of 2,667 anonymous and named complaints were submitted in June alone, adding to approximately 300 reports that had reached the ministry in May.
Over half of the submitted complaints have already been investigated, with fines imposed as high as €60,000 in some cases. Obstructing public access to the sea, the shoreline, or the beach carries penalties ranging from €2,000 to €60,000, while hindering any inspection authority can result in a fine of €10,000. A €1,000 penalty is issued for failing to display the concession sign.
Currently, inspections are being conducted using traditional methods — teams equipped with measuring tools and concession documents in hand to verify compliance. However, as August approaches, drones will be deployed for surveillance and aerial photography of beaches either preventively or following citizen complaints.
According to official sources, the MyCoast application, developed by the Ministry of Digital Governance, has become an essential tool for both inspection authorities and citizens. Overall, the high violation rates observed during last summer’s season, including extreme cases of illegal structures, have not yet reoccurred this year.
The combination of heavy fines, immediate inspections, and a more transparent competitive concession process has contributed to an improvement in the overall situation. According to data from the Ministry of Environment and Energy, there have been 10,565 concessions granted, including 982 so far this year. Of all the complaints, most (1,568) concern unauthorized beach enclosures, while another 441 relate to restricted public access.
Geographically, when examining June’s complaints—when crowds started returning to the beaches—the coastlines of Eastern Attica and Chalkidiki ranked highest in reported violations. Other regions such as Magnesia, Rhodes, Corfu, and Thassos also appeared prominently on the list.
Regarding enforcement, if someone illegally occupies coastal land without a concession agreement—or exceeds the permitted area—the Property Service issues an immediate removal order. This requires the removal of movable objects placed on the shore within 48 hours, regardless of how long they have been there. In cases of illegal construction on the coastline, those structures must be demolished.
If business activity is found operating illegally on unauthorized coastal space (e.g., beach bars), the Property Service or local municipality issues an immediate closure order alongside the removal notice. Within 24 hours, the occupied area must be sealed off with tape and a bilingual Greek-English warning sign must be posted, prohibiting entry to the sealed zone.
Fines include four times the applicable fee multiplied by the number of years since the illegal structure was erected (up to five years), along with a ten-year ban from future concession processes. Repeat offenders face extended bans, business shutdowns, and tampering restrictions via tax authority orders.