Development with promotion of the environment is good for all

The bill of the government for selling the foreshore employs many concerned citizens, who have joined their voices in a common struggle to protect the Greek coast. Greenpeace commented extensively on the bill for the foreshore: “The development, as presented by the government, seems like a big black cloud that comes upon us to engulf everything rare, vital and irreplaceable for Greek society: our natural heritage. Watching the recent developments with the settings on the foreshore and the bill for forests tabled in the House, while also taking into account the dangerous ministry plans for seas for hydrocarbon extraction, we can’t help but wonder: what is the vision and the agenda of this government? Growth should be a good thing, right?

So where are we today as the entire society has joined forces in a public wave of protests against the bill on the foreshore? The Minister, Maniatis, is forced to separate his position by stating that the sole objective of regulation should be to draw the line for foreshore protection. However, he insists to keep alive the provisions, otherwise frozen, trying to pass shaped settings for the delimitation of the shore in the middle of midsummer. The mixture is explosive if one adds the surprise promotion bill on forests (removes the legal protection of forests and allows unregulated planning), as well as a bill to simplify licensing and large tourism investments. The result is a recipe for catastrophic undermining of our national wealth that is broken into different legislative pieces, always with the label "critical for the development of the country", a tactic that among others makes it extremely difficult for citizens to follow the developments.

We at Greenpeace respond to the government that, yes, it is necessary to delimit the foreshore, but solely based on the protection of the coastal zone and its emergence as a valuable product for the whole society. True, in numerous international polls for the top beaches, Greek beaches occupy a prominent position. Does anyone remember a beach of our country with dense layout? Moreover, it’s equally clear that the protection of the shore isn’t consistent at all with the vision of the government for large-scale industrial mining and transport of hydrocarbons in the Ionian and south of Crete. Recall that western Peloponnese is a gateway to our country for millions of tourists every year.

We have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The protection and enhancement with smart and sustainable investment is the solution that ensures the future of the economy and its locomotive, tourism, society and the natural coastal environment. Problems exist and are serious. They require bold steps to put an order in this chaos. Let's not replicate erroneous examples aimed at short-term profit and disastrous results, both for the present and for future generations. Even at the last moment, let's realize that the proper and sustainable development based on environmental protection and exploitation of the natural wealth of the country, a key objective for a society that is headed to the future and not to the past”.