WHAT DESTROYES NATURE IS NOT DEVELOPMENT!

In August 2022, the plans of a tourism company for the construction of an 850-bed hotel in Falassarna, Prefecture of Chania, Crete, was submitted for public consultation.

The hotel will occupy the entire central beach, almost 1 km long. A beach that has been characterized as one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe : it combines unique turquoise waters, spots with pink sand made of shells, a special sunset and an endless sandy beach with dunes. Falasarna central beach is a unique wild natural landscape of Western Crete, part of the European Natura 2000 Εcological Νetwork, and is home to the globally endangered Androcymbium Rechingeri (“Krinaki” as the locals call it).

With the construction of the hotel, access to this natural wonder will be impossible for ordinary citizens and only the customers of the 5-star hotel will be able to enjoy it. The same company is planning another monstrous investment in another Natura area and world-famous beach, Elafonisi. We do not consider it a coincidence that these plans coincide with the large flexibility of legislation given by the law on strategic investments concerning free access to beaches and protection of Natura areas.

Given the negative opinion on the “investment”, from the Quality of Life Committee and the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Kissamos, the Natural Environment and Climate Change Organization (ΟΦΥΠΕΚΑ) and the Environment Directorate of the Region of Crete REQUEST:

That the Greek government and the competent state agencies do not approve this plan. It is obvious that privatization of the beach affects the right to free access of citizens and the rights derived from Article 24 of the Constitution. Such a pharaonic construction will destroy an area of outstanding natural beauty and create a major ecological disaster in a protected area with endangered species. Hundreds of small tourism businesses that developed precisely because the Falassarna area is a magnet for its unique beach will be affected.

If you approve this plan, Elafonisi and the lagoon of Balos are next.

All over Western Crete, areas of special natural beauty will be privatized and destroyed, and unique gifts of nature will become the “verandas” of millionaire investors.

#save_falasarna

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