Demolition of illegal cafe patio pending since 2019
Almost five years have passed since a ruling by the Council of State, Greece’s top administrative court, cleared municipal plans to demolish an illegal extension of a cafe-restaurant near Kolonaki Square in central Athens. However, the decision has yet to be implemented by the authorities.
In 2018, municipal crews, under the mayorship of Giorgos Kaminis, removed the wooden platform occupying the sidewalk. The owner of the establishment, who had received permission for the extension under the mayorship of Dimitris Avramopoulos, appealed to the court. However, the court rejected his appeal, deeming that the structure encroached upon public space. Judges also said that municipal authorities are responsible for revamping the square.
Although the decision was issued in early 2019, the administration of Kostas Bakoyannis failed to take action, claiming that the establishment had been granted a license by a previous municipal authority, although critics counterargue that the structure greatly surpassed the approved size limit.
