Greek municipalities lag on beach accessibility for people with disabilities

The National Federation of Persons with Disabilities (ESAmeA) has highlighted widespread delays and malfunctions in installing autonomous beach‑access equipment across Greece. The federation reports that critical installations remain incomplete or non‑operational in regions such as Thesprotia, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, as well as on popular tourist sites including Rhodes, Thessaloniki, Zakynthos and the northeastern Aegean islands.

ESAmeA says that in several locations previously functional systems have been removed, and where funding and procedures have been completed, the equipment has not been activated. The federation has sent an urgent letter to the Central Union of Municipalities (KEDE) and to the affected local authorities demanding immediate action to prevent the exclusion of people with disabilities from beach recreation.

The organization stresses that the inaction of municipal bodies deprives a significant segment of the population of safe, dignified access to public coastal areas during the peak summer season and calls for mandatory enforcement of accessibility standards.