In Ios, the beaches are not only occupied by umbrella seats. It is also occupied by concrete bridges! These bridges, on Koumbara beach, were built by a businessman to connect the beach by road with the rocky island of Diakofto where he has built his house.
The bridges are illegal and a suspended prison sentence has been imposed for their construction by the Court of First Instance of Naxos and the Court of Appeal of Syros. Unfortunately, however, the bridges remain in place because competent bodies are standing in the way. The same businessman has destroyed a wetland protected by Presidential Decree and has dammed up streams in another area of the island, Avlaki Papa, to build the Calilo Hotel, which he even advertises relentlessly as a model of environmental sustainability.
The illegal constructions there also remain in place. The government has included three investment projects of the same businessman in Ios in the category of strategic investments, ignoring this delinquent behaviour and the carrying capacity of the island.
