With less than two months to go before the deadline, as the bulk of tourists left the island having disrupted yet another crucial nesting season for the endangered Loggerhead sea turtles, Mrs Amalia Karagounis, the recently government-appointed President of the ZNMP, started to show her mettle. With unprecedented government support for her position and just enough money to pay part of the wages owing to guards and ZNMP staff since 2003, she used her considerable skill to enforce almost all of the ECJ ruling’s demands throughout the Bay (excluding the ‘strictly protected’ Daphne beach): daytime guards were posted on a number of beaches; information signs, kiosks and barriers preventing vehicle access were restored; illegal businesses were closed down; a port police post was established with regular patrols of the Bay, and a boat was brought in to patrol the sea; buoys delineating restricted areas were replaced; and on some beaches excess furniture was removed, although much mysteriously found its way back!

The President has now turned her attention to the illegal buildings and tourist infrastructure on Daphne beach. Since the beginning of September, a bitter debate has raged between Mrs Karagounis and the Head of the Local Zakynthos Administration (Prefect). Eleven years after the Greek government ordered the buildings pulled down, and despite having signed the demolition order himself, the Prefect claims that it is not his job to do so, that the responsibility lies with the Government. His role is “not one of destruction”, he said, but to protect the local inhabitants and foster the development and promotion of Zakynthos. He has suggested that to solve the problem the State should compensate those affected by conservation measures. “We are here to protect interests of local people in Daphne and those of the Greek State”, he said, apparently forgetting that it was the laws of the Greek State that he was being asked to enforce! The President of the Park responded, saying: “Compensation to landowners should not be confused with demolition.” Meanwhile, at the Greek Constitutional Court (07-09-05), Daphne landowners lost an appeal to remove restrictions (imposed by the Presidential Decree establishing the ZNMP) on private property development within the boundaries of the Park.

The ZNMP President is optimistic of receiving the 60,000 Euro, which has been owed to the Park since 2003 by the Mayor of Laganas and the Prefect of Zakynthos, for their share of a LIFE/ Nature EC project. She also hopes to take funds, as of next summer, for beach furniture rental tenders, and with this money run a self-financing Park. But is this possible? In January 2005 300,000 Euro was needed to cover the Park’s debts (a figure which will have increased considerably since then). Since March 2004 funds have been promised repeatedly by the Ministry of Environment, in the Press and in Parliament, but until now only 190,000 Euro has been paid, barely covering back taxes and wage bills.

The government has produced a fine smoke screen, by appointing a very capable President, but as she pointed out herself, although an appeal has been made to the European Commission for a stay of execution on the ECJ ruling, her achievements will not prevent Greece from being fined. One thing is quite clear: Greece does not act unless under extreme financial pressure! If only Greece had met its environmental protection obligations two decades ago then it would not be facing a hefty fine and the Sea Turtles of Laganas Bay, Zakynthos would face a brighter and more certain future!

High definition photographs can be found at http://www.medasset.org/press_photos

MEDASSET