The Citizens’ Movement of Paros
On August 1, 2023, hundreds of Paros residents gathered at Santa Maria beach to make their voices heard. They were there to demand that some room on the beach be set aside for those hoping to simply put down a towel and enjoy the day. The movement was born out of a growing frustration with businesses monopolizing the shoreline, leaving very few spots for visitors who weren’t renting a sunbed or umbrella.
The people of Paros, declare in their official page in facebook, The Citizens’ Movement of Paros for the Beaches is a “from below” collective of citizens of the island.
We are united by the concern for the shrinking of public space and our displacement from the beaches of our country. We are concerned about the consolidation of lawlessness and indecency on the beaches of Paros by companies that exploit parts of the beaches and arbitrarily occupy the common space with deckchairs and umbrellas, far beyond the limits provided by the concession contracts they have signed. We defend the right of the citizens and visitors of our island to have free access to the beaches we love. The Greek summer is part of our soul, it is part of our identity: let’s not let anyone take it away from us
The movement has since extended to other Greek islands, such as Naxos and Serifos. The protesters are advocating for a modification in the law so that the amount of area which can be allotted to sunbed businesses is restricted. Moreover, they are asking for the beaches to be cleaned up and defended from any degradation of their natural surroundings.
The Paros Beach Movement has drawn both praise and criticism. Supporters back the initiative, whilst others value the contribution of sunbed enterprises to the area’s economy. The situation is still evolving, and it remains to be seen whether the activists will realise their aims.
The Paros Beach Movement has outlined demands for the protection of their beach. These include using more eco-friendly practices, greater enforcement of existing regulations, and increased accessibility for people with disabilities. Moreover, they are calling for enhanced public awareness of preservation efforts and the development of a comprehensive plan to ensure full sustainability.
1: Restrict the number of spaces to be rented for sunbed companies.
2: Maintaining the cleanliness of the beachfront and safeguarding our natural habitats should be a priority.
3: Find ways to create additional capacity for beach visitors.
4: Guarantees that all people, regardless of their financial situation, can have access to the beaches.
The movement’s growth shows that people are determined to ensure their access to public areas, and it could lead to a substantial change when it comes to beach management in Greece.
UPDATE 3 AUGUST 2023
Tangible results, which no self-organized movement in our country has ever achieved in such a short time, brought for one more day the Movement of Citizens of Paros for Free Beaches.
After the arrest of the businessman, who without a permit had placed sunbeds and umbrellas in the small Santa Maria, and also the liberation of the beautiful beach from the sofa seats on Wednesday afternoon, according to information from makthes.gr, the authorities proceeded to three more arrests with the self-imposed procedure.
In particular, those legally responsible for Marcelo and Krios beaches, which were peacefully “raised” by swimming and demanding free access, were arrested by hundreds of Parians the previous Friday, while a business manager in the great Santa Maria was also arrested, as his business had violated the law for the development of umbrellas and sunbeds on the famous beach.
