Photo: Vima
The golden beaches and campsites in Greece are included in the program for privatization, announced the representatives of George Papandreou’s government, which has to collect 50 billion euros from privatization by 2015. The mass privatization program, which is expected to sweep buildings, lands, public institutions and enterprises, is considered to be the life-belt for the cash-starved Greece. Privatization benefits are expected to reach a whole 20% of the GDP, and the first in the list are the holdings of the company for tourist development and the state property organization. The government stressed: "it is our obligation to use public property not just to reduce the foreign debt, but to achieve economic growth and increase employment."
Greece will be divided into two regions, which will be considered separately and land and property for concession will be assessed. The mainland will be divided into two parts from Evros to Attica and from Argolida to Iannina, and island areas will be allocated in parallel. The property to be assessed will be grouped into land, land with buildings and coastal strips. According to initial information, the coastal properties, which will enter the program, are in the area of Piraeus, the island of Evia, Kavala, Volos and Fthiotida. The islands of Corfu, Kerkira, Thesprotia and Kefalonya will also offer interested investors a part of their sun-soaked beaches for concession.
The government has not submitted complete details on the privatization program of the coastal parts of Greece, because serious resistance from local people is expected. Almost all properties along the major cities are owned at the moment by the company for tourist development. The government promised that it will make exceptions for all companies along the coast that have signed contracts for use and all permits and they will not be expropriated. Coastal concessions, however, will mean an end to lucrative lease for all others.
The beaches around Athens and Thessaloniki are known for the endless rows of popular nightclubs, known in Greece as the "bouzoukia". In addition to live music, flowers, young singers in short dresses and crazy dancing till dawn, these establishments are also popular for their tax and other institutional irregularities. After the tightening due to the economic crisis, the Ministry of Finance checked on some of these coastal establishments, which resulted in fines, forced closure for several days, but nothing more. The concessions are expected to reguralize the coastal areas and to solve most of the problems connected with the not so legal entertainment centres.