Greece Ministry of Environment defends new coastal tourism regulations

The Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy has denied claims that the new Special Spatial Framework for Tourism allows construction within 25 meters of the coastline. The Ministry clarified that the framework actually strengthens environmental protections by establishing a new, strict 0–25 meter zone where all new developments and constructions are prohibited, with exceptions only for essential access for persons with disabilities and ambulances.

The Ministry emphasized that the existing 50-meter distance requirement for the main buildings of hotel units remains fully in effect. Furthermore, additional restrictions are being introduced for environmentally sensitive or tourist-heavy island regions, such as the Cyclades.

However, the new framework has faced criticism from scientific bodies and environmental groups. The Association of Greek Planners and Urbanists (SEPOCH) described the plan as problematic, arguing it maintains a logic of intensive tourism development without sufficiently addressing the climate crisis. Critics noted that the 25-meter protection zone deviates from the Barcelona Convention's recommendation of a 100-meter non-buildable zone and is less stringent than practices in many other European countries.