For three consecutive summers, the metal pipes for the floating platforms installed by the owner of the beach bar in Rhodes have been nailed to the bottom of the sea.
Reports indicate that government officials intervened at a local bar after photos surfaced on social media of a waiter serving patrons while wading through water that nearly reached his neck.
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Labor Minister Adonis Georgiadis, speaking to OPEN, on Sunday morning, said that "I immediately requested a direct inspection by an inspection. We sent a ladder that went in two hours and no violations were found. What you see, there is no written provision that prohibits it."
According to him, a meeting has already been convened at the ministry. "Besides, we are preparing a bill immediately and I want to see how we can ensure decent working conditions. The specific incident seems to have been caused by the employee himself."
"I want to be clear. I want us to have tourism, all under the condition of full respect for workers' rights", he emphasized at the end.
What is the response of the beach bar owner?
It appears that the Coast Guard and municipal authority were aware of the illegal constructions, yet failed to take any action. This was highlighted when photos of the well-known influencer Ioanna Tunis on these floating platforms were shared on the internet during the summer of 2021. Despite waiters serving her and other customers on these platforms, no one seemed to be concerned about the situation.
And he concludes, "10 inspectors came and found everything legal. As for the side tables, they go in and out, it's not abuse. The inspectors asked the workers if I was forcing them to enter the sea, and they told them that they do it for a better porter. I don't want to make another statement, but my employee will tell you the same."
It appears that the Coast Guard and municipal authority were aware of the illegal constructions, yet failed to take any action. This was highlighted when photos of the well-known influencer Ioanna Tunis on these floating platforms were shared on the internet during the summer of 2021. Despite waiters serving her and other customers on these platforms, no one seemed to be concerned about the situation.
According to insiders, the release of the photos was a deliberate attempt to damage the reputation of the business owner involved. It's part of an ongoing conflict between businessmen from Rhodesia and Athens, which even resulted in a heated altercation during a bidding competition for beach umbrella posts at City Hall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skO0SyQZXTY
The business owner had a vision of building a small complex that resembled the islands in the Maldives. This would be achieved by placing floating platforms and offering services that are typically seen in 5-star hotels. Of course, the corresponding price would be charged for these services.
Yesterday's incident prompted Minister of Labor, Adonis Georgiadis, to intervene immediately. Additionally, Minister of Shipping, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, has instructed the Coast Guard to verify the legality of any constructions in the sea.
The pictures of the waiter standing chest-deep in the sea have sparked a lot of discussion on social media, reigniting the debate on working conditions in the tourism and hospitality industry.
It appears that the owner of the popular beach bar is the previous tenant of the Parliament canteen, who won a competition in 2016 during the presidency of Nikos Voutsis. However, they left the position in 2019 while Konstantinos Tasula was in office.
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