The waves of the Aegean Sea lap gently at the tables and chairs of two beach restaurants on Greece's Halkidiki peninsula. It is an idyllic scene, but one that is totally illegal.
Like many in Greece, the two establishments on Pefkochori beach do not have a licence to set up shop so close to the water.
After a wave of protests last summer by locals about bars and restaurants illegally covering beaches with sunbeds and tables, the Greek state is taking action. It is cracking down on rogue practices with surveillance drones, satellite imagery and a special app on which people can complain.
A pensioner, Evgenia Rapti, who has a summer home near Pefkochori beach, is one of many outraged by the inexorable growth of Greece's tourism industry.
"The whole beach has been taken over" with tables, chairs and deckchairs, said the 64 year old in the northern resort.
This story is from the June 26, 2024 edition of The Citizen.
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This story is from the June 26, 2024 edition of The Citizen.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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