In case you’ve been wondering why, despite our beaches all having recently had a really good facelift, with fresh sand where necessary and being clean and ready to welcome all the lucky tourists who will enjoy the crystal clear sea of our award winning, “Blue Flag” abundant coastline……… there is still no sign of the normal, full range of facilities, , then let me try to explain.
We are not alone in voicing this question. The same issue was put raised officially, with a written question, by a Cretan Member of Parliament, of an opposition party, Mr. Vassilis Kegkeroglou this week, to both the Ministry for the Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The problem is, as he points out, that although we are now well into the beginning of the 2017 tourist season, a vital document still hasn’t been signed by the government, which will allow each Mayor, in each Municipality, nationwide, to sign agreements with suppliers/tenants, who want to rent the beaches for business purposes and provide the facilities which are expected by our visitors and by local bathers.
The document is called a “Joint Ministerial Decision”, and is crucial in legal terms, for the concessionary use of the beaches and coastal zones in tourist areas, by private individuals or businesses.
As the M.P. pointed out, the delay in the signing of this document means that tourists are not been given the facilities they should have access too, including the use of sun-beds, umbrellas, watersports and canteens for refreshments and in addition, the individual Councils are losing vital income from these rental agreements.
