Local authorities in the Greek islands of Santorini and Crete have hit out at government plans to allow the casinos to open on the popular tourist destinations.
Last week, the mayor of cosmopolitan Mykonos sent a letter to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
Greek media report that Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos was forced to backtrack. He announced in parliament that he will bring an amendment providing that the licenses of casinos on Mykonos and Santorini operate only seasonally, from March through October.
However, it is not yet clear whether this will satisfy opponents who fear that casinos will change both the character of the islands dramatically and the mix of tourists arriving in their droves every year.
Mayor of Santorini Nikos Zorzos said his island “does not need such investments”.
In a statement the local council stressed that it is “totally opposed to the creation of a casino,” claiming that the “consequences of such action would be irreparable for the economy, culture and social structure of our island”.
Media reports from Crete say that local councils in the island are also preparing to launch a campaign against the casinos.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
