Few complaints about excessive charges
All municipalities in Cyprus comply with beach legislation, the President of the Union of Municipalities, Andreas Vyras, told KYPE, noting that charges exceeding 2.5 euros for an umbrella and 2.5 euros for a sunbed are illegal. On the other hand, the President of the Pancypriot Union of Consumers and Quality of Life (P.E.K.POI.ZO) Loukas Aristodemou told KYPE that for now the complaints they receive are limited, but he stressed that if they get out of control they may should be done in Cyprus as in Greece with the “Towel Movement”.
Mr. Vyras said that the information he has from all the municipalities is that the legislation is respected in terms of fees and as regards the other provisions of the law, such as the provision of 50% of the beach for bathers who do not want to purchase sunbed and umbrella services.
In his estimation, possible violations come from private companies, which each municipality must separately check and verify their compliance with the provisions of the legislation.
All agencies should implement the law, he noted.
When asked about this, Mr. Vyras explained that the legislation provides for a ceiling on charges, which is 2.5 euros for an umbrella and 2.5 euros for a sunbed, stressing that any charge that exceeds the aforementioned amount is illegal .
The President of the All Cyprus Consumers and Quality of Life Association, Loukas Aristodemou, when asked if there are any complaints about overcharging for beach services, said that the Consumers Association did not receive many complaints, but they did not disappear.
He added that so far there have been none. complaints that cause concerns that there is a tendency to copy the situation that prevails in Mykonos and in other regions of Greece where the “Towel Movement” appeared.
Continuing, he said that although there are no complaints, the danger does not disappear because if one imitates the example of Greece and does not face the consequences of the law, others will follow. in Greece, from those who deny the world free access to the beach, that he must somehow increase the income of his business because otherwise he will suffer.
He emphasized that such approaches should not be allowed to expand, but the authorities, taking into account the example in Greece, “should keep their eyes open”.
Even if they are on vacation, they should they also take a look and find out what is happening on the beaches they visit, he added.
He warned that Cyprus is a small place and under no circumstances should we allow what happened in Greece.
He said that the law stipulates that the charges are 2.5 euros per umbrella and 2.5 euros per sunbed, but they must leave space on the beach so that the visitor can place his own sunbed and umbrella.
He also noted that the legislation should also be respected regarding the distance of their placement from the wave, both by businesses and individuals.
Asked about complaints about exorbitant charges for a sunbed-umbrella at Lady's Mile, Mr. Aristodemou said that he is aware of the Consumers' Union that the charges at Lady's Mile have always been different, but there is no possibility of intervention by the competent authorities of the Republic of Cyprus as the area is on the British Bases.
At the same time he remarked that the Lady's Mile is a vast area and it is strange that a bather should choose rather than carry his own necessities to be subjected to such high charges.
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Another observation made by Mr. Aristodemou is that, in general, the fees on the beaches, for drinks and food, and in general, are “harsh”. He said that before its dissolution, the Cyprus Tourism Organization did market research on the beaches with the participation of consumer organizations and there was a possibility of consumer protection.
In other countries, such as Spain there are huge signs that state the prices of the products and services offered on the beach, he said and added that Cyprus has not developed this kind of culture that would protect the consumer.
