The look of the beaches of Syros, full of pegs (summer umbrella bases), which were either swept away by the sea creating dangers, or remaining in their position preventing the free use of beaches by citizens, was piteous and insulting.
The EQOS requested the competent authorities (the Municipality of Syros and the Port Fund) to implement the Law which accounts for the removal of stakes and restoration of the natural morphology of the beaches from autumn to spring. Following our written report, our previous announcement, as well as individual complaints from citizens, the technical services of the Municipality and the entrepreneurs removed the umbrella pegs on a number of beaches. Unfortunately, in the wrong way.
Heavy machinery was used (leaving visible traces behind them), the use of which is expressly prohibited by the Law, as they destroy the flora and the sensitive beach ecosystem. These machines paved the pegs with their concrete bases, leaving enormous potholes behind which, in addition to safety issues, detract from the beaches’ look.
The Municipal Authority and beach operators are aware that the Law expressly prohibits the embedding of cement blocks on the beach. For the information of any interested party, lightweight, portable terrain drills are available at very affordable prices, which can easily open holes to put pegs in, without concrete bases.
We reject the dilemma between beaches-storehouses of pegs and beaches swept by graders. Both are in breach of the law! We call for the restoration of the beaches, respecting the environment, the public space and the citizens, as laid down in the Law. We anticipate the actions of the competent authorities to complete the restoration of the beaches before the beginning of the summer season.
As for the representatives of the Municipality and of the Port Fund who resented, arguing that ‘the Municipality is obliged to do a double job’, ‘additional costs are incurred for businessmen’, ‘could be done in another way and not by means of complaints’, ‘vehicles and machines must be used on the beaches to remove umbrellas and pegs, we would remind them that all this is accounted for in the concession contracts they have signed. The role of municipal authorities is not to allege associations and citizens who exercise their democratic rights by defending the environment and public space, but to ensure that the legislation is implemented and to seek solutions to the problems of our region. That is why they have been elected for.
