With both the nesting period for sea turtles and the tourist season due to begin in Laganas Bay in about 7 weeks, EURONATUR and MEDASSET have jointly delivered their 17,000 signature petition to the Greek Prime Minister, expressing intense concern and indignation, not only about the future of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos (NMPZ), but also about the other 26 EC “Natura 2000” Protected Areas in Greece. “Sir, we today deliver to you the distress of 17,000 citizens from all over the world regarding the lack of protection for Biodiversity in Greece.”

During the summer of 2004 the ecological destruction in Laganas Bay, the main nesting area of the endangered loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean, was enormous. Illegality prevailed in the chaos of mass tourism, with pollution of the Bay, illegal construction, and motor vehicles driven along the nesting beaches day and night. It is obvious that if for the second year no effective measures for protection and management of the nesting beaches are implemented, the appalling situation will continue.

While the imposition of heavy fine from the European Court of Justice “knocks at the gates”, the Ministry of Environment (MoE), even at this last moment, remains indifferent to the management of the NMPZ, failing to provide financial support to enable the Park to achieve its objectives. The MoE lacks the essential political will to meet its national, international and EC obligations, and responds to pleas, calls and warnings with mere unfulfilled promises.

The full text of the letter accompanying the signatures can be found at http://www.medasset.org/priminister.htm

For photographs please contact MEDASSET