Blue Flag Award Removed from 6 Beaches on Rhodes Island (List)

Asterias Beach – Rhodes, was stripped of its Blue Flag in September 2024

Six Beaches on the Island of Rhodespreviously noted by the international program “Blue Flag”were excluded from the 2024 national and international list and lost their award because they either did not organize a bathing season this year or did not meet the program's strict criteria, as determined by the assessments conducted to date.

During the implementation of the Programme, following unannounced visits to the coasts by volunteer assessors of the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature and communication between the Secretariat of the Programme and competent coastal managers, shortcomings in the enforcement of the criteria were identified, which concerned, in particular:

• provision of services to bathers and visitors (including disabled people)
• purity
• proper information
• safety of bathers and visitors
• good environmental management
• actions to protect the coastal environment and coastal space
• as well as covering the free coastal space.

The deadline for placing the Blue Flag was July 1.

Members of the National Anti-Crisis Committee and the Program Coordination Committee, as expected, decided to revoke the awards in order to preserve the institution's prestige and authority.

According to the terms of the program “Blue Flag” The specified coasts cannot be nominated for an award in the following year. The program period officially ends on 31 October. Coast managers may terminate their award earlier than 31 October (but not earlier than 15 September) and must notify the Program Secretariat accordingly.

At the end of the period and in accordance with the procedure of the Program, Blue flag should be removed from the website, all forms should be removed from the Notice Board and only the latest verification results should be posted on it and an “Expiration” banner should be installed.

It is noted that the withdrawal of beaches is due to poor organization and that the quality of water for bathing remains, according to the standards of the excellent program “Blue Flag”

According to the local newspaper rodiaki.gramong the 6 beaches from which they were removed “Blue Flags”includes:

• Akti Theologos, Municipality of Rhodes
• Akti Kiotari Angelien 1, Municipality of Rhodes
• Akti Ladiko, Municipality of Rhodes
• Beach of Faliraki Limanaki, municipality of Rhodes
• Akti Reni, Municipality of Rhodes
• Acti Anthony Quinn, Municipality of Rhodes

More 22 beaches all over Greece is deprived of “Blue flags” until the end of July 2024.

A map with a full list of Blue Flag beaches can be found here link.

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