The MyCoast app was a high-profile Beach App in response to last summer’s “towel movement”, in which local residents – beginning on the island of Paros – mobilized to stop the relentless spread of sunbeds and umbrellas for hire on Greek beaches.
Unveiled by the Ministry of Digital Governance ahead of the current summer season, the Beach App can easily be downloaded onto smartphones and allows users to check whether the commercial concessions on the beaches they visit are legal, well-run, and within the designated boundaries.
Users can submit reports to the relevant authorities anonymously or otherwise, if they suspect violations on beaches.
With few exceptions, beaches in Greece are open to the public. Indeed, an article in the Constitution guarantees this right.
Slightly over 6,000 reports of suspected violations had been summited using the MyCoast app by June 21, 2024. The majority allege the blocking of free access, the obstruction of access for individuals with special needs, and illegal occupation.
The three regions that have seen the most reports filed to date are the Preveza region on the Ionian coast in northwest Greece, the prefecture of Halkidiki to the east of Thessaloniki in northern Greece, and the coast of Attica due east of the Greater Athens area.
