Greek Minister Skertzos addresses organized crime through beach management reforms

Greek Minister of State Akis Skertzos has responded to questions regarding the government's fight against organized crime by citing reforms in the management of beaches and public space rentals. In a social media post, Skertzos argued that recent revelations about criminal networks highlight the need to dismantle the perception that certain groups operate above the law.

He noted that the government has been addressing these issues since 2023, citing the removal of illegal structures by Principote in Mykonos as a key example of challenging powerful interests. To prevent private interests from monopolizing public coastlines, Skertzos highlighted several institutional changes implemented in 2024 in collaboration with Kostis Hatzidakis.

Key reforms include transferring the authority for beach auctions from municipalities to the Land Services of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance. This shift introduced electronic auctions to increase transparency and limit local discretion. Additionally, regulations now mandate that at least 50% of any beach must remain free for public use, and the MyCoast application has been launched to allow citizens to monitor concessions and report violations.