Those who have visited Mykonos in recent years, it would hardly have been disputed that the island almost “cambered” under its weight hypertourism. However, the Greek state is going to subsidize 6.6 million (in the form of tax exemption) of a 192-bed hotel planned with a total investment of 33 million Arab interests AGC Equity Partners. In addition, the interministerial strategic investment committee recently approved another investment (61 million) in Mykonos, a hotel of the Mitsis Hotels group. In this case, of course, not subsidies were given, but license concessions provided for in the relevant law on strategic investments.

According to the decision of the Ministry of Development (Government Gazette B΄ 5866/17.11.2022), the investment plan (controlled by AGC) Blue Iris regarding the establishment of a five-star hotel, 94 rooms – 192 beds in Karapetis, Upper Mera Mykonos, is subject to law 4399/2016 with a total supported cost of 33.3 million. The project was included in the previous development law. The current aid regime (No. 4887/2022), based on the KYA published last August, whose provisions cannot be changed until two years have passed, excludes Mykonos and Santorini from state aid. In other words, the state recognizes that resources should be directed to smaller and less developed islands than Mykonos, where the average cost of living for two people for one week is 3,500 euros. However, it has failed to close the door to help new projects, such as the AGC Equity Partners project, for which the application for assistance was submitted before August last year, when the call for proposals for inclusion in the tourism investment assistance scheme was announced. was published.

What the mayor of the island K. Koukas says, who opposes a specific project.

Mayor of Mykonos seeks to close door to AGC Arabs Konstantinos Koukas, which petitioned the State Council last spring to annul the MLA approving the placement of the Blue Iris investment plan. This appeal was preceded by an even older one, which the municipality counters with the Presidential Decree (note: approved in June 2020) approving the Special Spatial Development Plan for Strategic Investments (ESHASE).

“Development on our island must be sustainable, protect the environment and respect our cultural identity. In this regard, we have given a negative opinion on this particular investment and have already applied to the Council of Ministers against the plan, the marina and the building permit. The marina, heliport and tourist village that make up the plan are completely incompatible with the island and completely alien to its architecture and landscape. In any case, I would like to point out the contradiction that exists. At the same time, when some insist on promoting this particular investment and including it in the development law, there is a suspension of issuing permits for the construction of hotels on our island, as well as the exclusion of the tourism business from the development law. On the other hand, it was the state that contributed to the development of a special urban plan, which, in fact, will check the capacity and form the necessary interventions at all levels. I find it contradictory, on the one hand, that the state supports the development of a comprehensive plan for the future, and, on the other hand, encourages investments that clearly do not contribute to sustainable development,” emphasizes Mr. Koukas.