Garitsa Association insists park is not up for negotiation

In a statement, the Garitsa Cultural Association “To Alsos” has weighed in on the debate that emerged following a meeting held by the Corfu Chamber of Commerce with representatives of the hospitality sector, the Mayor of Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands, and the island's MPs, concerning the licensing difficulties faced by businesses operating within the Garitsa Park.

According to the Association, the issue goes beyond the scope of a local dispute and concerns the management of public space and the protection of a shared urban green area. The statement recalls that, during a residents' general assembly in February 2025, the mayor announced his intention to increase the area allocated to food and beverage establishments from 45 to 100 square metres and to permit new business licences.

The Association maintains that it warned from the outset that such expansions could not be implemented legally within a protected public space and argues that the current licensing impasse is a consequence of those plans.

Particular concern is expressed regarding proposals discussed during the meeting, which, according to the statement, included references to decisions of the Municipal and Regional Councils, Presidential Decrees, and ministerial interventions. The Association believes that such procedures could lead to a weakening of the area's protected status or even to the declassification of the Park.

At the same time, it makes clear that it is not opposed to the operation of existing businesses or to economic activity in the area, stressing, however, that such activity cannot be developed at the expense of public green space. “If the choice is between protecting the Park and accommodating food and beverage establishments, the overwhelming majority of residents will choose the Park,” the statement notes.

Responding to references made during the public discussion to the example of Pedion tou Areos Park in Athens, the Association cites Decision 1110/2023 of the Council of State, arguing that the presence of a refreshment kiosk in a park does not constitute a precedent for widespread commercial exploitation. On the contrary, it demonstrates that activities within such spaces must be institutionally safeguarded and strictly limited.

The Inter-Association Committee and the Garitsa Cultural Association have announced that they will hold a meeting to determine their next steps, while also requesting a meeting with the mayor and Corfu MPs in order to present the residents' position. They have likewise called upon the media, the Lawyers Association, and other institutional bodies to state their views on the matter.

As the statement concludes, “Garitsa Park is not up for negotiation,” as it is one of Corfu's most important public green spaces.

GIORGOS KATSAITIS