The land services of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, in collaboration with the Greek Police and the local municipalities, conducted thorough inspections of 14 beaches across the nation that have received the most complaints from residents.

It is noteworthy that in just 5 days, over 1,000 citizen complaints were examined, of which 604 were submitted through the MyCoast application.

The checks carried out showed that the overall picture on the beaches allocated for business activity is clearly better than in previous years. However, a number of the businesses inspected were found to have committed infringements ranging from the absence of signage to exceeding the area occupied by additional umbrella stands and other structures. In addition, 3 businesses were sealed for not having a concession contract, and a total of more than €350,000 in fines have been imposed so far.

Minister of National Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis said: "With continuous checks throughout the country and by using modern technologies, we are putting into practice our intention to apply legality everywhere. The massive inspections of the last few days show that the image on the beaches has clearly improved compared to previous years. There are, however, pockets of illegality that are being identified—often with the contribution of citizens themselves—and dealt with by applying the law in full. Our aim is to protect, on the one hand, both the environment and the citizen's right to free access to the beach, and on the other hand, to safeguard our tourist product and healthy entrepreneurship represented by entrepreneurs who do their job properly.

In detail, the beaches that collected the most complaints nationwide and were checked in priority are the following:

• Kryoneri Beach is in the municipality of Parga. Piraeus beach in Piraeus, Kriroi Parish, Greece. 169 complaints via the MyCoast application and dozens of telephone complaints involving 13 businesses were examined. In all of them, unauthorised use of an additional part of the beach exceeding the agreed area was found.
• Valtos Beach is in the Municipality of Parga. 50 complaints from citizens were investigated, and 2 fines were imposed for the unauthorized use of an additional part of the beach beyond the agreed area. The business owners immediately removed the umbrella stands.
• Lagonisi Beach is in the municipality of Sithonia in Halkidiki. 49 complaints were investigated, and it was found that the occupation of part of the beach was exceeded by additional umbrella seats, which were removed immediately.
• Thymari Beach is in the Municipality of Anavyssos in East Attica. 4 complaints via the MyCoast application and dozens of telephone complaints from citizens were investigated. The business was sealed for lack of an operating license and fined 220,000 euros.
• Masouri Beach in Kalymnos. 47 complaints were investigated, and infringements were found in all 8 businesses operating on the beach. Unauthorised use of an additional part of the beach exceeding the agreed area and, in some cases, construction within the beach area were found.
• NAOK beach in Corfu town. 10 complaints via the MyCoast application and dozens of telephone complaints from citizens were investigated. Illegal umbrella seats were identified and removed immediately.
• Klima Beach in Aegina. 43 citizen complaints were investigated, but no violations were detected.
• Nea Herakleia is in the Municipality of Kallikrateia in Halkidiki. 41 complaints were investigated. No infringements were found in 6 of the 8 businesses operating in the area, while in the others, unauthorised use of an additional part of the beach exceeding the agreed area was found.
• A beach at the location 'Nero Kallithea' in Faliraki, Rhodes. 21 complaints from citizens via the MyCoast application and dozens of telephone complaints were investigated, and a case file has already been established. Eight businesses were identified that had illegally occupied additional beach areas with umbrella seats and structures.
• Louros Beach in Messolonghi. 33 complaints via the MyCoast application and dozens of telephone complaints were investigated. An autopsy was conducted at the business, where unauthorized construction, overruns of the leased area, and alterations to the morphology of the area were found. The business was sealed and fined €36,566.
• Agia Marina-Mikrolimano Beach of the Municipality of Lavreotiki. 32 complaints from citizens were examined. Arbitrary occupation of the seashore and illegal construction by the company operating there were found. The authorities proceeded to seal the business and impose a fine of 30,764 euros.Glaron, Agia Fotini, and Karfas beaches in Chios. A total of 35 complaints from citizens were examined. Out of a total of 22 concessions, 6 infringements were found concerning the occupation by umbrella seats of additional beach areas beyond the agreed area.
• Schinia and Zoumperi Beach in East Attica. 30 complaints from citizens were investigated. In the 4 businesses in Schinias, 1 business was found to have overoccupied an area with umbrella seats, while in Zoumperi Beach, no violation was found by the 6 businesses operating there.

Inspections are to continue even more intensively in the coming period, giving priority to those areas with the most complaints from citizens and to those where there are a large number of anonymous complaints. At the same time, in the coming days, drones will be flown in areas of the Cyclades and the Dodecanese in order to identify any violations by the concessionaires of the beaches.