Another Record Year for Blue Flag Awards

Aliki Vavouri, Blue Flag program director for the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature; Giannis Amoiridis, Greek regional authorities’ representative; Makis Apergis, head of the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature; and Ektor Verikios, representative of Alpha Bank, which sponsors the society’s Blue Flag program.

Two recent very notable announcements allow Greece to boast as perhaps being the country with the world’s best and cleanest swimming waters in the world. It began last month when the country was awarded a record 373 Blue Flags this year for its clean beaches and safe swimming waters. This marks more than a decade of a continual and successful drive by the local operator of the program, the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, to make Greece one of the top countries in Europe that participates in the EU program.

However, Aliki Vavouri, the Blue Flag pro-gram director here, said she was dis-appointed that only five marinas took the time and trouble to apply for the award.

The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature has handled the international “Blue Flags” program in Greece since 1992. The Blue Flag, a symbol of quality in over 35 countries today, is awarded with strict criteria to organized beaches and marinas operated by coastal municipalities, hotels and other operators. The program aims at cleanliness of sea and beach, safety and proper services for bathers and visitors, creation of environmental sensitivity and active protection of the coastal region.

Shortly after the Blue Flag awards, it was announced that almost all swimming regions in Greece meet strict specifications set by the European Union, a fact which the European Commission’s annual report on the quality of swimming waters, publicized here last month, registered as ”very notable.”

The report says that, according to readings made during the swimming period in 2002, 99 percent of swimming regions in Greece ”not only meet compulsory readings set by the relevant directive, but the strictest suggested readings as well.” For the EU report, the swimming period lasts for 4.5 to five months in accordance with geographical position and climatic conditions. Readings are completed in October of each year and are publicized in the following spring.

Internal waters in Greece (such as lakes) appear to have an even better image in the report since they meet compulsory readings by 100 percent, as well as the EU’s strictest suggested readings.

Total Annual Blue Flags Awarded Greece