Greece, coastline in Athens set for redevelopment

A tender will be launched at the beginning of next year for proposals on how to develop Athens's southern coastline, stretching from Neo Faliro to Sounio, the government announced on Tuesday. Alternate Development Minister Notis Mitarakis met with mayors from seafront areas to discuss the plan on Tuesday. "Our aim is to make use of this asset that belongs to Athenians so it can be of benefit to them," he said. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has stated several times his intention to develop the 45-kilometer coastline to make it more commercially viable. Daily Kathimerini wrote that the Development Ministry will set up a company that will be responsible for handling the project, which will involve having to clear up any legal issues relating to the various plots of public land along the stretch of coastline. The mayors expressed some reservations about the regeneration plans and made it clear to Mitarakis that one of the conditions under which they might give their backing to the project would be for access to beaches to remain free of charge.