Authorities approved the construction of two houses in a flood-prone area on the Cycladic island of Paros, raising serious environmental and legal concerns.

The site lies adjacent to a protected wetland, and recent inspections revealed illegal water drainage damaging local ecosystems. The Citizen’s Ombudsman has called on the Environment Ministry to intervene, citing flawed urban planning and failure to mark the area as a stream zone.

In a similar case on the Cycladic island of Serifos, a building permit was issued for a beachside property at Malliadiko, where any construction is forbidden within 100 meters of the coastline under a 2002 presidential decree.

The mayor alleges the permit was based on false claims about a pre-existing building. Authorities have since revoked the permit, but construction resumed under a new license. Both cases have ignited public backlash, with local governments and watchdogs demanding stricter enforcement and environmental protections.

The core issue: legally issued permits that contradict on-the-ground realities and potentially violate conservation rules. While appeals and investigations continue, residents fear irreversible damage to Cycladic nature and heritage.