Twenty-five PASOK Members of Parliament are calling for immediate responses and concrete actions from five relevant ministers regarding the serious and mounting problems facing Symi, in a parliamentary question submitted to the Hellenic Parliament on Monday, May 25, 2026, initiated by the Member of Parliament for the Dodecanese, head of the Development Committee, and former Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, George Nikitiadis.
The question is addressed to the Ministers of Shipping and Island Policy, Health, Environment and Energy, Culture, and National Economy and Finance, and concerns critical issues related to residents’ daily lives, the operation of the tourist season, the protection of the built and natural environment, and support for the local economy.
The intervention by the 25 PASOK MPs, spearheaded by Giorgos Nikitiadis, highlights that Symi’s problems are not isolated. They are a prime example of the dysfunction that continues to exist in the relationship between the central administration and small island communities.
The problems of Symi are, to a greater or lesser extent, also faced by the other islands of the Dodecanese and the rest of insular Greece, as the central government applies rules across the board without taking into account insularity, geographical isolation, the historical development of settlements, and the actual needs of local communities.
At the heart of the Question are the understaffing of the Symi Health Center, the unresolved issues regarding beaches and electronic auctions, the designation of areas as Natura sites and “untouchable, ” interventions regarding awnings and canopies at businesses, the demarcation of the foreshore and beach, as well as the continued operation of the municipal fish market.
The submission of the Question was preceded by an open letter from the Mayor of Symi, Mr. Lefteris Papakalodoukas, to the Prime Minister, in which specific issues were raised concerning public health, the operation of businesses, the beaches, the foreshore, the built environment, local production, and the island’s overall resilience. As stated in the text of the Question, Symi, a small remote island with a unique historical, architectural, cultural, and tourist identity, is facing problems that have become acute, particularly in view of the upcoming tourist season.
The issue of the Symi Health Center is considered particularly critical. Despite the availability of equipment, the lack of a radiologist or a qualified operator of radiological equipment makes it impossible to fully utilize it. On an island with geographical constraints and increased needs during the summer months, the inability to provide basic diagnostic services causes delays, unnecessary transfers, insecurity, and unequal access to healthcare.
At the same time, the situation regarding the beaches of Symi has caused serious disruption. While the tourist season has already begun, the legal procedures for concession and organization remain pending. According to the points raised in the Question, the beaches—which initially numbered twenty-two and were to be put up for electronic auction—were subsequently reduced to eleven and finally to just three, due to their designation as “unspoiled” and Natura areas.
PASOK MPs emphasize that the protection of the natural environment is a self-evident obligation of the State; however, the implementation of relevant legislation must be based on documentation, proportionality, and consideration of the actual conditions of each region. In the case of Symi, the issue of administrative accuracy arises when areas containing historically established settlements, municipal roads, and continuous human activity dating back to the 19th century are designated as “uninhabited.”
Equally serious is the issue of interventions by the Ministry of Culture’s services in businesses of public health interest regarding awnings, canopies, and other minor alterations. The text of the Question emphasizes that the architectural character of Symi must be protected, but without ignoring the actual functioning of the settlement, the need for local businesses to survive, and the fact that many of them have been operating legally for decades.
Special mention is also made of the demarcation of the foreshore and beach, as, in several cases, the foreshore line extends into the inner fabric of the settlement, creating serious problems for businesses, residences, and municipal functions. The unique geomorphology and historical development of Symi, situated very close to the sea, require a specialized rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
The question also highlights the case of the municipal fish market, which has been operating for nearly a century and is linked to the island’s collective memory, the activities of local fishermen, and the local economy. As noted, the protection of public property cannot be separated from the need to support coastal fishing, social cohesion, and the continuity of historic economic activities.
In the parliamentary question, the 25 PASOK MPs collectively ask the five relevant ministers:
- What immediate actions will the Ministry of Health take to staff the Symi Health Center with a radiologist or a specialized operator of radiological equipment, to ensure the full utilization of existing equipment and the safe provision of health services to residents and visitors?
- Why have the procedures for the electronic auction and legal concession of the beaches of Symi not been completed in a timely manner, even though the tourist season has already begun?
- What criteria were used to reduce the number of beaches available for development from twenty-two to eleven and ultimately to three, and does the Ministry of Environment and Energy intend to reconsider the classification of areas as “uninhabited” or Natura areas, where there are historically established settlements, municipal roads, and ongoing human activity?
- Does the Ministry of Culture intend to review, in cooperation with the Municipality of Symi, the framework for applying restrictions regarding awnings, awnings, and other minor alterations to businesses of public health interest, so as to protect the island’s architectural character without driving legally operating businesses to financial ruin?
- Does the Ministry of National Economy and Finance intend, through the Land Registry, to consider correcting and redrawing the boundaries of the foreshore and beach in Symi, where these create problems for the historically formed settlement fabric, businesses, residences, and municipal services?
- What measures will be taken to ensure the continued operation of the municipal fish market in Symi, while respecting the public nature of the site, its historical use, and support for local fishermen?
- What initiatives does the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy intend to undertake to coordinate the relevant ministries and agencies, in order to immediately address the accumulated problems identified on Symi in the areas of health, beach operations, the foreshore, and local economic activity, and to ensure the effective implementation of the constitutional obligation to provide special care for island regions, particularly in view of the increased pressure the island faces during the tourist season?