Drones recruits the Ministry of Finance for the inspections on the beaches, attempting to limit the phenomena of arbitrary occupation of the sea and overcoming the granted sites.
Order of the multi-legislature submitted to Parliament provides that infringements can also be detected through satellite downloads or distance photographs, without in any case requiring an on-site autopsy.
This change substantially alters the way in which beach controls have been carried out so far. So far the autopsy from the competent steps was a key element in drawing up a finding. With the new provision, the audit authorities will be able to use drones, remote sensing systems and satellite images in order to detect arbitrary occupations, overtaking concession contracts, illegal business extensions and abusive umbrella development.
In fact, when the infringement It is clearly reflected in the photographic material, it will no longer be required to present auditors on the beach for an autopsy. The finding may be drawn up on the basis of air or satellite shots, speeding up the procedure for certifying the infringement and imposing the penalties provided for.
This possibility is expected to be used mainly in tourist areas where every summer dozens of complaints are recorded about arbitrary sun beds, overtaking concession limits and excluding free parts of the beach. Audit services will be able to monitor a greater number of beaches in much shorter time, while photographic documentation will gain even more weight in the sanctioning process.
The sanctions
The sanctions are only negligible. An arbitrary occupation of agialou or beach without a concession agreement is provided for a fine that reaches four times the exchange corresponding to the area occupied, as well as exclusion from any concession procedure for agialou and beach for five years. In the event of a recurrence by an operating undertaking, a ten-day suspension, a cash register seal and a ten-year exclusion from new concessions is foreseen.
Accordingly, a fine equal to four times the exchange corresponding to the extra area used without a legal authorisation shall be imposed on an area beyond the limits provided for in the concession agreement. Additional penalties and multiannual exclusions from future concessions shall be activated in the case of major exceedances and repeated infringements.
The current framework also provides for fines from EUR 2,000 to EUR 60,000 to prevent the free access of citizens to the sea, the Aegean Sea and the beach, while strict penalties are also imposed for arbitrary structures or configurations in the Aegean Sea.
In addition to drone controls, the multi-legislature includes other interventions on the Aegean concessions. Among other things, provision is made for the possibility of temporarily granting space to undertakings that have submitted a request in time and are awaiting the completion of the procedure, as well as the possibility of re-establishing undertakings which had been excluded due to earlier infringements, if they pay the fines imposed on them.
At the same time, efforts are being made to speed up the procedures for the definition of the sea and the beach through changes in the composition of the competent committees, while specific facilities are provided for cases involving EDF properties and businesses operating in areas affected by the bad weather Daniel.