At least five reports of archaeological violations in relation to some of the the biggest beach bars in Mykonos were compiled between 2017 and 2022 o Manolis Psarosemployee of the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, fallen victim of beating by strangers, March 7 in Kifisia. Yesterday, the Extortionists Prosecution, in cooperation with the Athenian Public Prosecutor’s Office, decided to raise the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Thanks to his reports, he even became a key witness for the prosecution in a number of pending criminal trials against influential businessmen in Mykonos. The most recent one was due to start in February 2023 but has been delayed.

The store was sealed, however the owners overcame the “problem” by simply opening a new business.

Mr. Psarros’ reports were forwarded to, inter alia, the Prosecutor’s Office of First Instance and the City Planning Authority of Syros, with the archaeologist pointing to urban planning violations and mainly archaeological violations. “They did extensive earthworks and cemented the sandy beach to create a platform for clients to shade,” says one.

Most of the cases are not new, but date back to 2017. The Ombudsman was involved in the investigations, as well as the National Transparency Authority, to which the results of 145 inspections of cases on the island of Mykonos were transferred.

One of the entertainment centers for which the archaeologists of the island have compiled successive autopsy reports is located in Panormos and is located a few tens of meters from the archaeological sites of Mavrospilia and Marathio. This particular business has been in operation since 2016, when the Cyclades Antiquities Authority, in an autopsy conducted a year later, found that the persons in charge were carrying out “without the approval of our office, construction work – expansion of existing property with the creation of new covered areas and other structures.”

Mr. Psarros (pictured left) and his colleagues briefed AT on their findings. Mykonos and the Ombudsman. From the message brought to the attention of “K”, it follows that the store was sealed, but the responsible persons violated the seals. The same document also describes that in order to overcome the problems, the owners stopped the business and recommended a new one, to which the beach bar was transferred, thereby ensuring its smooth operation.

In this autopsy (2017), archaeologists determined that inside the beach bar, “in addition to the shelter and new buildings to the south of the existing ones were built without approval.” Free designs occupied 2000 square meters, with Ephorate of antiquities of the Cyclades recommend not to continue using them. Later autopsy reports compiled by the Ephorate of Cycladic Antiquities, with Manolis Psarros as speaker, came to the same conclusions.

A more recent document dated March 2020 characteristically stated that “our service adheres to the original proposal, as due to the large volume and coverage of the store, the operation of the store causes indirect damage to the environment of the archaeological sites of Marathion and Mavrospilia.” .

Interestingly, in 2022, archaeologists reported that beach bar managers denied them entry when they attempted to perform a new autopsy on the store. The second entertainment center, in which the employees of the Cyclades Antiquities Authority found urban and archaeological violations, operates in Ormos Ftelia. From written reports submitted to the Syros prosecutor’s office of first instance, it follows that the company’s leaders, without approval, carried out work in a place declared an archaeological monument, and also began excavating a hill located behind a beach bar for the construction of a makeshift helipad.

without permission

Finally, the fact that the popular bar, located on the outskirts of Mykonos, operated without a proper license from the local government and other competent authorities, testifies to the situation on the island of the Winds.

Indeed, in the fall of 2022, the Quality of Life Committee of the Mykonos Municipality met to impose sanctions on the store managers. From the minutes of the meeting, which are at the disposal of “K” it appears that the municipal authorities unanimously decided to temporarily close the plant in Dexameni requested by EL.AS. start sealing it, and in December 2022 imposed a fine of 26,400 euros on store managers.