Environmentalists complain over ‘chiringuito’ concessions

THE Axarquia Nature Studies Department, GENA Ecologistas en Accion, has reported irregularities in processing authorizations for ‘chiringuitos’ (beach restaurants). The group is suggesting possible corruption and document falsification. The President, Rafael Yus, explained that in the new legal context since the Junta de Andalucia took over the matter of ‘chiringuitos’ from the Ministry for the Environment, documents are being falsified as they do not state the true measurements of the restaurants.

This, he said, was happening all over Andalucia, although their particular complaint refers to Rincon de la Victoria, where the coastal plan 2011 has been approved with 17 ‘chiringuitos’ in just 2.3 kilometres.

Each one is supposedly 20 square metres, but the Environmental Department has not checked the measurements, and GENA claims they are closer to 200 square metres.

Three of the restaurants have cases opened against them by the Environmental Prosecutor for alleged crimes against territorial planning.

The group, which has denounced the situation to the Environmental Prosecutor and the Andalucian Ombudsman, has said that authorizations are being approved systematically without being published for public consideration, meaning that no-one can make any allegations against them.