MINISTRY: New framework for the utilization of beaches – What does the bill include?

Ολιστική παρέμβαση για την αξιοποίηση της δημόσιας περιουσίας των αιγιαλών, προς όφελος της οικονομίας και της τουριστικής ανάπτυξης, με δικλείδες προστασίας του περιβάλλοντος και πρόνοιες για αντιμετώπιση της αυθαιρεσίας αποτελεί το σχέδιο νόμου «Όροι αξιοποίησης της δημόσιας περιουσίας στις παραθαλάσσιες περιοχές» που παρουσιάστηκε στο Υπουργικό Συμβούλιο του υπουργείου Εθνικής Οικονομίας και Οικονομικών. Το σ.ν. τίθεται σε δημόσια διαβούλευση με στόχο να ψηφιστεί τον επόμενο μήνα προκειμένου οι νέες ρυθμίσεις που αφορούν τις διαδικασίες εκμίσθωσης των αιγιαλών και της παραλίας να εφαρμοστούν από την προσεχή θερινή τουριστική περίοδο.

Στόχοι του νομοσχεδίου για την εκμετάλλευση των αιγιαλών

Οι στόχοι του νομοσχεδίου είναι:

  1. Η θέσπιση νομοθετικού πλαισίου που θα συνδυάζει την προστασία των αιγιαλών με την ανάπτυξη.
  2. Η ταχεία και διαφανής διαδικασία παραχώρησης των αιγιαλών μέσω ηλεκτρονικών δημοπρασιών
  3. Η αξιοποίηση της τεχνολογίας για την πιο αποτελεσματική τήρηση της νομιμότητας σε συνδυασμό με αυστηροποίηση των κυρώσεων
  4. Η αξιοποίηση της δημόσιας περιουσίας με διατήρηση των συγκριτικών πλεονεκτημάτων που σχετίζονται με το περιβάλλον

Χατζηδάκης: «Βάζουμε τάξη στη δημόσια περιουσία που βρίσκεται σε παραθαλάσσιες περιοχές»

Ο υπουργός Εθνικής Οικονομίας και Οικονομικών, Κωστής Χατζηδάκης, δήλωσε: «Βάζουμε τάξη στη δημόσια περιουσία που βρίσκεται σε παραθαλάσσιες περιοχές. Με τους ηλεκτρονικούς διαγωνισμούς, με τις νέες και σαφείς υποχρεώσεις των παραχωρησιούχων στις παραλίες, με τα αυστηρά πρόστιμα που θα επιβάλλονται αμέσως και θα οδηγούν και σε σφράγιση, με τις απάτητες παραλίες δημιουργούμε ένα σύγχρονο ευρωπαϊκό πλαίσιο. Ένα πλαίσιο που συνδυάζει την προστασία του περιβάλλοντος με τη λελογισμένη ανάπτυξη και την αναβάθμιση του τουριστικού προϊόντος της χώρας. Υπογραμμίζουμε από τώρα: θα κινηθούμε γρήγορα και με αποφασιστικότητα αξιοποιώντας τις νέες τεχνολογίες για τους ελέγχους. Πέρυσι το καλοκαίρι αρκετοί ήταν αυτοί που δεν μας πίστεψαν σε σχέση με τη βούλησή μας για αυστηρούς και συνεχείς ελέγχους. Τους διαψεύσαμε. Φέτος θα είμαστε ακόμα πιο αποφασιστικοί, ακόμα πιο αποτελεσματικοί».

Πέντε άξονες

Το σχέδιο νόμου περιλαμβάνει πέντε άξονες παρεμβάσεων:

  1. Ρυθμίσεις για την προστασία των αιγιαλών με διαβάθμιση που περιλαμβάνει και τις «απάτητες παραλίες».
  2. Κεντρική εκτέλεση των διαγωνισμών παραχώρησης από την Κτηματική Υπηρεσία του Δημοσίου, με ηλεκτρονική διαδικασία.
  3. Θέσπιση συγκεκριμένων υποχρεώσεων των παραχωρησιούχων για την εξυπηρέτηση του κοινού.
  4. Παρεμβάσεις για πιο αποτελεσματικούς ελέγχους και διευκόλυνση των καταγγελιών από τους πολίτες με αξιοποίηση της σύγχρονης τεχνολογίας
  5. Καθορισμός αυστηρών ποινών (πρόστιμα και ποινικές κυρώσεις) για τους παραβάτες.

Ειδικότερα:

1. Ρυθμίσεις για την προστασία των αιγιαλών με διαβάθμιση

Καθιερώνονται οι παραλίες υψηλής προστασίας («απάτητες παραλίες») που βρίσκονται σε περιοχές Natura και για τις οποίες θα απαγορεύεται η παραχώρηση και κατ’ επέκταση η τοποθέτηση ομπρελών, ξαπλωστρών κλπ.. Οι απάτητες παραλίες θα καθοριστούν με κοινή απόφαση των υπουργών Εθνικής Οικονομίας και Οικονομικών και Περιβάλλοντος και Ενέργειας με βάση τα χαρακτηριστικά κάθε περιοχής (π.χ. η ύπαρξη προστατευόμενων οικοτόπων, σπάνιων ειδών χλωρίδας / πανίδας, ο χαρακτηρισμός τους ως καίριων περιοχών βιοποικιλότητας. Η απόφαση θα εκδοθεί ύστερα από εισήγηση του ΟΦΥΠΕΚΑ και του γενικού διευθυντή Περιβαλλοντικής Πολιτικής. Στις λοιπές παραλίες που βρίσκονται σε περιοχές Natura προβλέπεται μικρότερο ποσοστό κάλυψης με ομπρελλοκαθίσματα της έκτασης που παραχωρείται, συγκεκριμένα 30 % του συνολικού εμβαδού έναντι 50 % στις παραλίες εκτός Natura. Παράλληλα, ορίζεται ότι ο παλαιός αιγιαλός που συνορεύει με απάτητες παραλίες είναι κοινόχρηστος ενώ τα υπόλοιπα τμήματα του παλαιού αιγιαλού επανέρχονται στην ιδιωτική περιουσία του Δημοσίου και άρα θα μπορούν να αξιοποιούνται από την ΕΤΑΔ.

For the rest, limits are set to the coasts and beaches which are granted as follows:

a. It is not allowed to grant more than 50% of the total area of ​​each beach, which is reduced to 30% for Natura areas. Thus, if a beach has an area of ​​e.g. 20 acres, at least 10 acres should be free while an additional minimum distance of 6 meters (3 meters on either side) is set between concessions.

b. Each concession cannot exceed 500 sq.m. Furthermore, a ceiling is placed on the area of ​​the area in which the placement of umbrellas, sunbeds, etc. is allowed, which is up to 60% of the granted area (30% for Natura areas). This practically means that the umbrellas and sunbeds in each concession cannot occupy more than 300 sq.m. (60 % of the area) or 150 sq.m. in Natura areas.

2. Electronic procedure for holding tenders

Concession tenders will be conducted exclusively by the State Real Estate Service (no longer by the Municipalities), with an electronic process. They are established by Ministerial Decision standardized declaration documents and concession contracts while the procedure should be completed by March 31 of each year so that there is time to prepare ahead of the tourist season. Exceptionally, for the first application in 2024, the deadline is May 15.

-The following elements are entered into the electronic system:

a) The part of the beach to be granted, defined as a polygon

b) the start and end of the concession within the year

c) the duration of the concession

d) the time of conducting the electronic auction

e) the terms of the concession agreement

A minimum rent is established which the electronic system automatically derives based on the objective values of the area, the duration of the concession (total and within the year) and the “Beach Weight Factor” which increases or decreases the rent according to the particular characteristics of the beach. The parameters for calculating the Gravity Factor will be determined by a Ministerial Decision. In any case for the period until 31 December 2025, the rent cannot be lower than the maximum rent for the same area agreed in contracts after 1 January 2017.

The concession contracts will have a duration of up to three years.

At the end of the tender, the electronic system automatically extracts a draft contract containing the terms of the concession, the rent, and the method of payment and sends it by e-mail to the bidder.

The status for bordering businesses is regulated (these are the cases where behind the beach or the beach, the place where the business operates is located and, in some cases, a street, square or other public space or property belonging to the private property of the State or ETAD may intervene between them). the auctions, increased by 20 %with a maximum duration also of three years. Similarly, for concession contracts of this category that are concluded until December 31, 2025, it is defined as lower than the maximum rent for the same area agreed in contracts after January 1, 2017.

This process (of neighboring businesses) includes hotel accommodations, camping sites, recreation centers, nautical clubs, water recreation businesses and companies operating umbrellas and sunbeds, provided of course they submit a relevant request.

In cases where there are contiguous neighboring businesses, a free zone of 6 meters width is mandatory for public access (3 meters on each side).

3. Obligations of concessionaires and Municipalities

Specific obligations are established for concessionaires who should:

a) To ensure the free, unhindered and safe passage of the public on the seashore and the beach, taking special care of the access of the disabled and people with mobility problems, with the installation of sea tracks.

b) Limit the development of umbrellas, deckchairs and marine recreational equipment to a percentage of the area of the granted area that does not exceed 60% or 30% if it is a protected beach, and maintain a free zone from the coastline of at least four meters wide.

c) To keep the seashore or beach clean daily, as well as a section of equal area of the seashore and beach that has not been allocated and is adjacent to the allocated section.

d) Post a sign with the coordinates of the concession, the concession decision number, the rights of the public, as well as a unique QR code for each concession, in a prominent place on the seafront or the beach.

e) To place mobile elements (e.g. showers, changing rooms), to serve the public.

f) To take care of maintaining the balance of the ecosystem of the granted area, such as by maintaining the morphology of the coast and coastline.

g) Have a lifeguard if the area of the concession is not covered by the relevant municipality.

h) To remove the equipment (umbrellas, etc.) at the end of the period of use as well as at the end of the concession and to return the space to its original condition.

It is noted that these are the minimum obligations set by law. The declaration may provide for additional obligations of the concession holder for the protection, preservation and development of the granted coastline and beach and the enhancement of public use.

In addition, obligations are established for the Municipalities which are:

  • Daily cleaning of common areas
  • The posting of a board with the foreshore and beach plan, in which all concessions on it are marked
  • The posting of each concession with information and photos on their website.
  • The installation of lookouts and the recruitment of lifeguards
  • Notifying ELAS and the Real Estate Services of violations they find.
  • The exercise of controls

It is noted that the Government will return to the Municipalities 60% of the consideration from the concessions.

4. Controls – use of modern technology

Along with the official controls by the State bodies, an electronic complaints system is being created which all citizens will have free access to via a digital application (application) on their mobile phone. In particular:

  • A Registry of Beach and Beach Concession Contracts is being created, in which the data of all contracts are recorded together with photos and geospatial data
  • A QR-code corresponds to each concession contract which is posted on the website of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, the State Real Estate Service and the relevant municipality. Also, it must be printed on the sign marking the seashore or the beach. By scanning the QR-code, every citizen will be able to see the diagram of the allocated beach and immediately file a complaint if they find that the allocation has been exceeded
  • At the same time, audits are carried out by the competent agencies (Ministry of National Economy and Finance, Municipalities, AADE, ELAS, Prosecution Authorities) while it is planned to establish joint control groups led by a prosecutor or an employee of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance
  • It is planned to carry out inspections with drones, in order to carry out remote inspections in a wider area without the physical presence of the inspectors being necessary

5. Violations – penalties

In the case of occupation of the seashore and beach without a concession agreement or in excess of the concession, a removal deed is issued within 48 hours of the elements that have been placed. In addition, if there is no contract an order is issued to seal and shut down the business which is implemented within 24 hours with tape and a sign in Greek and English informing the citizens about the sealing and the reason it was done. Any operation of the business despite the seal constitutes a criminal offence. Illegal constructions are demolished. Costs for both demolition and equipment removal are borne by the culprit.

In case of recidivism when there is a contract in addition to the fine, if the violation is extensive a final seal will be imposed.

Applicable immediate termination of the contract for serious violations of the law or the concession contract. Serious violations include but are not limited to:

a) construction of works or formation of the seafront and the beach

b) use of the coastline and beach for a purpose other than the agreed one or in a way that causes alteration of its natural morphology

c) occupation and use of land outside the granted section

d) partial or total transfer of use to a third party, when this is not provided for by law or in the concession agreement

e) obstructing the free, unhindered and safe passage of the public on the seashore and the beach

f) not keeping the coastline or beach clean on a daily basis by placing waste and recycling bins

g) not posting in a visible place on the beach or the beach identifying information of the concession, such as the coordinates, the concession decision number and the rights of the public

h) failure to install shower facilities, changing rooms, toilets accessible to the public

The fines in force today are getting tougher. Indicatively, the fines that will be imposed for the most significant violations are listed:

In case of arbitrary occupation of a beach – i.e. without a concession contract – a violation that is the most serious and very common – a fine will be imposed 4 times the consideration that the company would have paid if it had a concession contract based on the minimum price provided for in the new framework.

In the event that there is a concession agreement but the allocated area is exceeded, a fine of 4 times the consideration corresponding to the additional area occupied will be imposed.

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