GREECE: Residents back mayor of Ellinikon, an Athens coastal suburb, on his hunger strike over free access to beaches

Record ID: 339723

  • Title: GREECE: Residents back mayor of Ellinikon, an Athens coastal suburb, on his hunger strike over free access to beaches
  • Date: 31st May 2007
  • Summary: (W3) ATHENS, GREECE (MAY 30 2007)(REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CITIZENS GATHERED ON BEACH FOR PROTEST WITH BANNERS READING "FREE BEACHES FOR THE PEOPLE" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CUTTING THROUGH FENCE CLOSE-UP OF PROTESTERS HOLDING ON TO FENCE VARIOUS OF FENCE BEING DISMANTLED PEOPLE APPLAUDING AND CHEERING AS PART OF FENCE IS REMOVED GAP IN FENCE VARIOUS OF ELLINIKON MAYOR CHRISTOS
  • Embargoed: 15th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Nature / Environment,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2YFCC84512R82FWOCNHX45S8
  • Story Text: The mayor of the southern Athens suburb of Ellinikon on Thursday (May 31) defended his action in going on hunger strike to defend the Greek public's right of free access to the country's beaches.
    Christos Kortzidis decided to act after years of appeals to government officials and legal cases failed to remove what he said were illegal businesses on the beachfront.
    "Taking into account that this was a problem, that the support of the citizens showed that this was an urgent and current problem, it was the right time to act, that a solution was needed, and we judged that we had to find an individual method to state our opinion and ask for a solution to the problem and help," Kortzidis told Reuters Television on Thursday (May 31).
    The 49-year-old mayor began his hunger strike on May 18 and said he had been drinking only water and juice since then. He says he has lost 6 kg (12 pounds).
    Kortzidis said recent discussions with government officials had been positive but he would not stop his strike until he saw concrete action.
    The mayor wants businesses, including cafes, bars and a go-cart track on the beachfront that he says are operating illegally, to be shut down. Kortzidis is also objects to an admission fee being charged for part of the beach.
    Kortzidis said free and open access to beaches was a constitutional right. He also wants the removal of fences that encircle the businesses right up to the water's edge to be removed.
    "Getting access to the beach means having to go through one fence after another. There are two or three entrances that you have to know where they are to get in," he said.
    "Is that access? I guess if you have a parachute you can have access."
    The issue has spurred debate in parliament and government officials have said access to the beach is open and is not restricted by the fences.
    Hundreds of citizens and mayors from other suburbs have rallied to his support. On Wednesday (May 30) in a show of force they gathered on the beachfront in protest. Bringing with them cutting equipment hired by the Ellinikon municipality, residents cut down several of the fences that encircle beachfront businesses and walked through the gap to the beach, as the business proprietors looked on.
    "This has been a long-standing issue for the residents of Ellinikon for many years, and not only for the residents of Ellinikon but for other Athens residents," said resident Vasso Triantafyllou who participated in the protest.
    "The beach should not be a private enterprise but a public one and should be respected by all."
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