Greece is turning to satellites and AI to crack down on the ‘illegal’ use of sunbeds, umbrellas and chairs on 8,000 of its beaches as summer approaches.
Greece’s Ministry of Digital Governance is launching a new program that will use satellite data to detect violations of the country’s controversial beach use laws. Ekathimerini reported.
Under the current system, the government normally allows companies to lease up to 50% of public beaches, and only 30% of areas protected by EU regulations.
But in reality, companies have benefited from lax enforcement and often take up far more space than they rent out.
In addition, they try to exclude non-paying customers and often force them to rent umbrellas and sunbeds.
Greece’s Ministry of Digital Governance launches new program that will use satellite data to detect violations of controversial beach use laws
Businesses have benefited from lax enforcement and often take up much more space than they rent out
Luxury resorts along Greece’s many coasts are considered the worst offenders, with critics accusing them of creating private beaches on public land and charging hundreds of dollars a day.
From June, the government will crack down on alleged offenders thanks to the agreement with the University of the Aegean.
The agreement ensures that an artificial intelligence ‘learns’ over the summer how to spot violators.
It has not yet been said what will happen to companies caught breaking the rules.
Last summer, Greece was engulfed in protests known as the ‘beach towel rebellion’, with locals fed up with paying exorbitant sums of money to businesses who took to the streets to voice their concerns.
Efthymia Sarantakou of the University of Western Attica explained BBC last year: ‘There is a long-standing lack of oversight, which has led to greater impunity.’
The academic added that the government’s failure to intervene and allow Greek citizens, many of whom are still reeling from the eurozone crisis, to enjoy public beaches is leading to companies creating a “mafia-like take on a role in society.
‘There are allegations that members of the public have been intimidated by beach bar staff when they tried to sit on what was still a clear part of the beach.’