Latest news with #HarisDoukas
Metro
7 days ago
- Metro
Europe's oldest neighbourhood creates 'intervention unit' to snitch on tourists
In 2024, some 7 million international tourists visited Athens. This year, 10 million people are expected to take to the streets of Greece's ancient capital. It's no secret that tourism has played a key role in boosting Greece's economy since the 2008 financial crisis. However, there's now concern about overtourism — a problem several other European destinations are also facing. But Plaka, the oldest continuously inhabited district in Europe — also dubbed 'Neighbourhood of the Gods' due to its proximity to the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site — is feeling the heat more than most. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas told AFP that while he is happy to see people coming to the city, areas like Plaka are becoming 'saturated with tourists.' Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. 'We are not yet at the stage of Barcelona, but we must act before it is too late.' For context, the Spanish city has been gripped by anti-tourism protests, with activists chanting 'Go home!' and drenching visitors with water pistols. And in Plaka, known for its Ottoman-era landmarks and Byzantine churches, footfall is increasing. This has led to narrow streets being blocked, the constant screeches of suitcases, and local businesses becoming overwhelmed with the number of tourists. Alexandra Dubakova, travel expert with FreeTour, visited Athens for the third time last month. She told Metro that the district is facing too much congestion, and that long-time residents are being priced out. To tackle these issues, a local 'intervention unit' has been created to enforce rules with the support of the police. Residents now have the power to report businesses taking over public spaces or cars parked illegally on pavements. Alexandra, who first travelled to Athens in 2019, told us that Plaka is 'almost unrecognisable' to her. 'The first time, it had a gentle charm,' she recalled. 'I walked through Anafiotika in the morning and loved seeing the locals chatting on their balconies. There were a few souvenir stalls and quiet cafes, barbershops and grocers that the locals preferred.' However, in July, the 'balance had cracked.' By midday, she said tour groups had overshadowed the locals. Alexandra watched one group spill into a residential side alley where a grandmother trying to carry groceries went unnoticed. 'The volume of tourists is up, yet awareness seems to have faded.' Alexandra also noted that local shops have morphed into souvenir outlets, and that owners are having to stay open after hours to keep up with the crowds. 'Trash bins are overflowing, and delivery vans barely get through the foot traffic.' Athens is not yet at Barcelona-level overcrowding. However, Alexandra said that if it continues on this path with no caps on group sizes and unrestricted rentals, it is headed there, fast. Jaroslaw Grabczak, Head of Commercial Product at Thomas Cook and eSky Group, told Metro that similar patterns are emerging across Greece. He said congestion in historic centres, under pressure water and waste systems, and residents' frustration are now the norm. These impacts are no longer confined to peak summer months, either. The expert said shoulder seasons are also becoming saturated due to flexible travel habits and the rise of digital nomadism. More Trending Jaroslaw added: 'What Greece needs now is a collaborative approach: smart regulation of short-term rentals, better management of cruise traffic, and investments in green urban mobility.' Just as importantly, travellers themselves must be encouraged — through education and incentives — to explore more consciously. The goal isn't to limit tourism, but to ensure it remains a force for good: enriching local communities and protecting cultural heritage. 'The future of places like Plaka depends on a simple, yet critical choice. Do we want to be tourists who just visit, or travellers who truly care?' Greece has rolled out a series of anti-tourism rules and fees. As it stands, the main ones are: • Cruise passengers disembarking at Mykonos or Santorini between June 1 and September 30 will face a fee of €20 (£17.35) each. Those who come ashore throughout the rest of the year will be charged between €4 (£3.47) and €12 (£10.41) • For other ports across Greece's six island groups, the amount will be €5 (£4.34) in summer, €3 (£2.60) during shoulder season and €1 (87p) in the winter months • The Acropolis has a visitor cap of 20,000 people per day • 70% of public beaches must remain free of sunbeds • It is illegal to collect seashells from beaches. Fines can reach up to €1,000 (£869) • Greece's tourist tax — the Climate Resilience Levy — applies to anyone staying in paid accommodation, including Airbnbs, hotels, and villas. It's charged per room, per night, not per person. MORE: Inside the Mediterranean 'naked city' where nudity on the beach is mandatory MORE: British woman missing in Greece was 'warned not to swim into deep water' MORE: I found a lively European city break that cost me £61 a day – hotel included
Roya News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
Athens Mayor fires back at 'Israeli' ambassador over Graffiti dispute
A diplomatic row has erupted between Athens Mayor Haris Doukas and 'Israeli' Ambassador Noam Katz, sparked by the ambassador's public criticism regarding the city's handling of 'antisemitic' graffiti. The exchange escalated quickly, with Mayor Doukas accusing Israel of "unprecedented genocide" in Gaza, dismissing the graffiti concerns as "marginal details". Ambassador Katz initiated the dispute in an interview with Greek daily Kathimerini on Sunday, August 3, 2025, stating that 'Israeli' visitors felt "uncomfortable" in Athens due to 'antisemitic' slogans like 'Expel all Israelis' and 'Kill the Zionists, save lives'. He accused city authorities of inaction against "organized minorities" responsible for the vandalism, warning it sent a "dangerous message of tolerance for Jew-hatred". Mayor Doukas swiftly responded on X (formerly Twitter), declaring, "We don't need lessons in democracy from those who kill civilians". 'Athens, the capital of a democratic country, fully respects its visitors and supports the right of free expression of its citizens,' Doukas continued. 'We do not accept lessons in democracy from those who kill civilians and children in food lines, from those who lead dozens of people to death in Gaza every day, from bombs, hunger and thirst,' he added. 'It is appalling that Mr. Ambassador focuses only on graffiti (which is apparently being erased), while an unprecedented genocide is being carried out in Gaza,' Doukas said before finally pointing out that the number 'of Israelis who have been granted a Greek Golden Visa has increased by over 90%'. While the Athens Municipality announced plans in August 2024 to upgrade its anti-graffiti service and launch a new cleanliness app, Jewish organizations note "inconsistent" cleanup efforts, particularly in central Athens.
Al-Ahram Weekly
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Athens mayor fires back at Israel on Gaza genocide amid graffiti row - War on Gaza
The mayor of Athens on Sunday slammed Israel for its genocide in Gaza, saying Greece would not take lessons in democracy from 'those who kill civilians,' after the Israeli ambassador accused city authorities of failing to remove what he alleged was antisemitic graffiti. Israel has frequently labelled solidarity with Palestinians suffering under its 22-month genocidal war on Gaza as antisemitism and sought to broaden the definition to include any legitimate criticism of its war crimes in the devastated territory. Haris Doukas, the Socialist PASOK mayor, responded sharply after Israeli ambassador Noam Katz said Israeli tourists felt "uncomfortable" in Athens because the mayor "does not act against organised minorities" responsible for anti-Israel graffiti. "We have proved our strong opposition to violence and racism and we do not take lessons in democracy from those who kill civilians," Doukas wrote on X. "Athens, capital of a democratic country, fully respects its visitors and supports the right of free expression of its citizens," he added. "It is revolting that the ambassador concentrates on graffiti (that is clearly wiped off) while an unprecedented genocide is taking place in Gaza." Since Israel's genocidal war on Gaza began in October 2023, nearly 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, according to Gaza health officials, with much of the strip reduced to rubble. Independent estimates suggest the death toll is significantly higher. The war has been compounded by Israel's five-month blockade that has pushed Gaza's 2.3 million people into famine. Six more Palestinians have died from starvation in the past 24 hours due to the deadly Israeli blockade, bringing the total number of hunger-related deaths in Gaza to 175, including 93 children. UN experts, legal scholars, and human rights organisations have all recognised the war in Gaza as a genocide. Greece, like several other European countries, has seen repeated pro-Palestinian demonstrations, many of them led by left-wing and student groups. A cruise ship carrying Israeli tourists around the Greek islands was met with protests at several ports in recent weeks. While Greece followed a pro-Arab foreign policy for decades, it has deepened ties with Israel since 2010, particularly in defence and energy cooperation. Demonstrators in Greece stopped Israeli tourists from disembarking a cruise ship on the Greek island of Syros, in protest of Israel's genocide in Gaza and the Greek government's relationship with Israel. — AJ+ (@ajplus) July 28, 2025 Since the start of the war, an increasing number of Israelis have visited Greece and invested in its real estate market, according to AFP. Doukas said the number of Israelis obtaining Greek residence permits through property purchases rose by 90 percent last year. Although the Greek government maintains close ties with Israel, many officials and large sections of the public have been critical of its war on Gaza and of efforts to label any criticism of that war as antisemitism. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Khaleej Times
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Greece: War of words between Athens mayor, Israeli ambassador over street graffiti
The mayor of Athens became embroiled in a war of words Sunday with the Israeli ambassador to Greece, who accused city authorities of not doing enough to clean up antisemitic graffiti. Ambassador Noam Katz told the Kathimerini daily in comments published Sunday that Israeli tourists felt "uncomfortable" in Athens because the mayor, Haris Doukas, does not act against "organised minorities" who put up anti-Jewish graffiti. Doukas responded within hours on X: We have proved our strong opposition to violence and racism, and we do not take lessons in democracy from those who kill civilians." "Athens, capital of a democratic country, fully respects its visitors and supports the right of free expression of its citizens," the Socialist PASOK party mayor added. "It is revolting that the ambassador concentrates on graffiti (that is clearly wiped off) while an unprecedented genocide is taking place in Gaza," Doukas added. Greece, as well as several other European nations, has seen a number of left-wing-led pro-Palestinian demonstrations. A cruise ship carrying Israeli tourists around the Greek islands was greeted by demonstrations in several ports. While following a pro-Arab policy for several decades, Greece has since 2010 stepped up links with Israel, notably on security and energy. Since the Gaza war started in October 2023, with the Hamas attack on Israel, a growing number of Israelis have visited Greece and started investing in its property market. According to the Athens mayor, the number of Israelis who have secured Greek resident permits by buying property increased by 90 per cent last year.
Al Bawaba
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
'Clean your conscience, not our streets': Greece rejects Israeli lecture
ALBAWABA - On Sunday, Athens Mayor Haris Doukas scolded Israeli Ambassador Noam Katz harshly for criticizing how the city dealt with writing that was said to be racist. Doukas didn't believe Katz's claims and instead said that the real moral problem was Israel's current military operation in Gaza. Doukas wrote on the social media site X that the city "rejects violence and discrimination in all forms." He also said, "We will not accept democracy lessons from those who kill civilians." His comments were about Israel's war on Gaza, which has been going on for almost two years and has been criticized around the world. Katz said in comments published by the Greek newspaper Kathimerini that the Athens government wasn't doing its job of getting rid of writing that Israeli tourists found offensive. This led to the fight. Katz said tourist complaints about the city's silence on racist signs written by "organized groups" were making people upset. Doukas replied that a lot of the graffiti had already been cleaned up. He also said it was "outrageous" that the ambassador would be so focused on wall words and not on what he called "an unprecedented genocide" in Gaza. A lot of protests against Israel's war in Gaza have happened in Athens. A lot of leftist groups and campaigners have spoken out against the bombing, and similar protests have happened on Greek islands when cruise ships bringing Israeli tourists have come through. Israeli Ambassador to Greece: pro-Palestine graffiti in Athens is making Israeli tourists uncomfortable! Athens Mayor Haris Doukas: — Noah Hurowitz (@NoahHurowitz) August 3, 2025 The mayor also talked about how more Israelis are investing in Greece. He said that over 90% more Israelis have gotten the country's "golden visa" for investors in the last year. Since the war in Gaza started, there have also been more Israeli tourists. The Greek government has to find a good political balance between its long-standing links with Arab countries and its growing military and energy partnerships with Israel. Tensions are high because about 15 Western countries are making noises about their plans to accept a Palestinian state.
