Mayor seeking stricter fines for public space use

Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said on Thursday he will ask the Interior Ministry for an increase in fines for the illegal placement of tables and seats in public spaces by catering establishments in the Greek capital, so that the relevant inspections conducted by the municipality pay off.

In an interview aired on Skai TV, he announced that checks would be intensified in order to free up public space.

However, he said that many times the imposition of fines is ineffective in reducing violations.

"Since January, we have done 2,000 checks. In the 1,000 cases we either imposed a fine or removed tables and chairs. But the problem is much deeper as the cost of fines is close to 1,000 euros to €1,500 a year. If you reduce it to a day, it is one coffee. Well, the caterer thinks, 'This is the fine, I pay it and get 100 times the money,'" he stressed.