GREECE: ZAKYNTHOS NATIONAL MARINE PARK (ZNMP)
"Anything goes" to avoid European Court of Justice Fine!

After 25 years of conflict, controversy and illegalities, the situation on the nesting beaches of Laganas Bay, Zakynthos has reached an unprecedented crisis. Serious mismanagement and major legal violations have been the result of the President of Zakynthos National Marine Park's (ZNMP) attempts to save Greece from a major European Court of Justice fine (ECJ), following the Court ruling of 2002.

Since 1993, the 'Strictly Protected' nesting beach of Daphne has been the center of conflict after National bodies called for the demolition of all 14 illegal buildings. The Park's President, appointed by the Minister of the Environment in July 2005, signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Collaboration (MoU) in April 2006 with the owners of the illegal buildings in Daphne without the knowledge or consent of the Management Agency. The Memorandum ignores all preceding Greek court and administrative decisions and the European Court of Justice rulings, which mandate the demolition of these illegal buildings. This MoU stipulates that the owners, at their own expense, should implement "…aesthetic and other improvements as indicated by the ZNMP Committee" to their buildings, which later proved to be a means to disguise further illegal constructions and extensions on the nesting beach continuing to this day!

As well as this, access to Daphne beach was unlawfully prohibited to the public for 2 months for the 'Preparation of Pilot Management Plan of Daphne Nesting Beach'; yet admission was granted to construction workers, cement trucks and bulldozers! Construction works were undertaken in absolute secrecy and the area guarded by security personnel and an automated gate preventing public access. Photographic and video evidence is available online: http://www.medasset.org/Daphne2006.htm.

With the invitation of the ZNMP President, the Environment Minister visited Daphne on June 5th for 'World Environment Day'. Accompanied by some 30 journalists, he toured the area with the President and congratulated her "for a job very well done and for her efforts in establishing an exemplary Marine Park". He then, rather contradictorily, declared that the illegal buildings in Daphne must be demolished and called upon the Prefect of Zakynthos to do so! (In press and TV, 6/6/06);

Following the three NGOs: ARCHELON, MEDASSET and WWF (Greece) submitting a formal complaint to the Zakynthos Urban Planning Department, the Zakynthos Police and Greece's General Inspector of Public Administration on June 2nd; Daphne beach underwent official inspection. After catching a truck delivering cement red-handed, police arrested the truck driver (June 9th) and on June 13th the local Magistrate ordered a stoppage of work. On the 14th July, MEDASSET witnessed yet another building (40sqm) being constructed illegally in Daphne, which the President later denied knowledge of. Instead of the Park's President addressing the illegalities that have been brought to her, the Management Committee, the Minister of Environment and EC's attention she continues to make personal, insulting attacks against MEDASSET and our President.

It is scientifically documented globally that focusing management and protection only on the nesting section of the beach and not the entire beach area is insufficient for the long-term conservation and survival of the species. Increased human activities in close proximity to the nesting section of the beach with lighting, noise, pollution, destruction of sand dunes, altered sand composition and other factors not only determines the degree of use of the beach as a nesting area but also the success rate (%) of eggs hatching. On an important nesting beach like Daphne, that is only 300 metres long these impacts are accentuated.

In a country that taught the concept of democratic processes to the world and with a Government whose slogan is transparency, implementation of State laws and respect to the decisions of justice; how is it possible to permit a Management Agency, that operates under the supervision of the Ministry of the Environment, to not abide by these fundamental foundations of democracy?

Lack of compliance with National legislation, EC Directives and ECJ rulings and international conservation standards, instigated by the ZNMP Management are degrading the ecological integrity of Daphne's nesting site, and set a lethal precedent for the management of the other 27 National Parks of Greece especially so as demolishing illegal buildings in Greece is near impossible. The Management Agency of the Park may come and go, but the infrastructure remains, and no one, can guarantee that in the long-term building use will not change. Despite our vigilance in lobbying, recording, reporting and condemning illegalities in Laganas Bay, hope rests on the Minister of Environment, EC Commissioner of the Environment and the EC coming to their senses and intervening into these unlawful acts that are threatening the sustainability of highly significant nesting beaches.