Panic in Greece with UK tourists issued rare 'blue' warning over beaches
Panic has erupted as 22 beaches in different parts of Greece were stripped of their Blue Flag certification following spot checks by teams of Greek and international inspectors. 22 Greek beaches lost Blue Flag status due to unmet criteria.
Inspections found issues with services, cleanliness, and safety. The Blue Flag team emphasises water quality remains high - but four beaches in Crete were affected. Inspectors from the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature and international experts performed unannounced visits and discovered several deficiencies. Consequently, these beaches did not make it to the national and international lists for the Blue Flag award.
The Blue Flag assessors found several areas where the beaches did not meet the required standards. It included insufficient amenities for bathers and visitors, including those with disabilities and a failure to maintain cleanliness on the beaches.
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Incorrect or inadequate information provided to visitors, lapses in safety protocols for bathers and visitors, poor handling of environmental practices and overlapping and ineffective use of free coastal space were also listed by the investigators.
The beaches include Akti Schoinias Karavi, Marathon Municipality, Attica, Coast 1 Limanaki Daskaleio Kerateas/Solo Pino, Lavreotiki Municipality, Attica and Akti Psaltos/Mitsis Lindos Memories Resort, Rhodes Municipality, Dodecanese as well as Akti Kallithea, Rhodes Municipality, Dodecanese and Akti Mikros Gialos, Rhodes Municipality, Dodecanese.
Others were Akti Amnisos/Pnoe Breathing Life, Hersonissos Municipality, Heraklion, Akti Ermones, Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands Municipality, Corfu, Akti Ag. Gordios/La Grotta Verde, Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands Municipality, Corfu, Akti Mylos Ormou Korthiou, Andros Municipality, Andros, Akti Provatas, Milos Municipality, Apple, Akti Kalafatis/Aphrodite Beach Resort, Mykonos Municipality, Mykonos, Akti Agia Anna/Maragas, Naxos Municipality, Naxos, Akti Agios Georgios, Naxos Municipality, Naxos and Akti Agios Prokopios, Naxos Municipality, Naxos.
Akti Ag. Fokas/Marathia, Tinos Municipality, Tinos completed the list alongside Akti Ierapetra 1/Dimotiki, Ierapetra Municipality, Lasithi, Akti Koinotiki Plaz Makrygialou, Ierapetra Municipality, Lasithi and Akti Myrtos, Ierapetra Municipality, Lasithi. Akti Mega Ammos (Rock), Preveza Municipality, Preveza and Akti Koutloumousiou, Sithonia Municipality, Halkidiki were also listed.
2 Akti Nea Roda, Aristoteli Municipality, Halkidiki and Akti Ouranoupolis 1/Xenia Ouranoupolis, Aristoteli Municipality, Halkidiki were also stripped