A total of 13 Greek beaches lost the Blue Flags awarded by the International Blue Flag Environmental Education, Information and Awareness Program 2023. The Blue Flags were removed because the beaches did not organize according to the criteria of the Program.
It should be recalled that with 617 Blue Flag awards in May 2023, Greece has ranked 2nd worldwide.
According to the Program’s procedure, the managers are required to organize the shores in time and send the corresponding evidence.
The deadline for posting the Blue Flag was July 1st.
Until today, on the coasts mentioned below, the necessary actions have not been taken to organize them in accordance with the criteria concerning: provision of services to bathers and visitors, included disable people, cleanliness, correct information, safety of bathers and visitors.
The members of the National Crisis Committee and the Program Coordinating Committee decided, as expected, to withdraw the awards in order to preserve the prestige and credibility of the institution.
At the same time, inspection visits by evaluators of the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature and international evaluators have begun to all the award-winning coasts of the country, visits which, for the most part, take place unannounced. If deficiencies in compliance with the criteria are found on other coasts, further withdrawals will follow.
The withdrawal to the said beaches is due to faulty organization while the quality of the swimming waters remains, according to the standards of the Program, excellent.
According to the “Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature” the 13 beaches that lost the Blue Flag which are withdrawn are the following:
Akti Plaka, Municipality of Nafplion, Argolis Province
Tourkopodaro Beach/White Rocks Hotel, Argostoli Municipality, Kefalonia
Akti Skoutari, East Mani Municipality, P.E. Laconia
Akti Gythio 2/Selinitsa, Municipality of Eastern Mani, P.E. Laconia
Akti Stomio, Municipality of Agia, P. E. Larissa
Akti Ponti, Municipality of Lefkada, P.E. Lefkada
Akti Tsampika, Municipality of Rhodes, P.E. of Rhodes
Akti Tsambika Symiaki, Municipality of Rhodes, P.E. of Rhodes
Akti Aquarium 1-Agalma Diagoras, Municipality of Rhodes, P.E. of Rhodes
Akti Enhydrio 2-Grand Hotel, Municipality of Rhodes, P.E. of Rhodes
source: cnngreece