Cleanup for Greek beaches
Over 1.1 million euros, 240,000 euros for Attica alone, have been made available to municipalities to clean up the country’s beaches. Environment and Public Works Minister Vasso Papandreou said yesterday that work on Attica’s coast for the Olympic Games would make Athens beaches attractive once more. The ministry is also working with 50 municipalities with the support of the Sunday Vima newspaper on a two-phase pilot program over the summer to encourage people, mostly youths over 17, to take part in environmental action such as cleaning beaches and parks. «We need programs like these if we want to make people care about the city, the sea and the country,» said Papandreou. Meanwhile, prizes for Greece’s 10 best beaches chosen by visitors from 45 countries to the www.thalassa.gr website were awarded yesterday. First prize went to Porto Katsiki on the island of Lefkada, followed by Koukounaries on Skiathos.
