The beach of Xifia in Monemvasia has been grappling with a severe phenomenon of extensive erosion for years. The ongoing loss of dozens of meters of coastline now openly threatens the complete disappearance of the central tourist and environmental lifeline of the Municipal Community of Nomia.
In this climate of intense concern, the Municipal Committee of the Municipality of Monemvasia convened on October 13, 2026. Among the agenda items was the approval to submit a funding proposal for the project titled “Beach Nourishment for Coastal Erosion Protection in the Xifia Settlement, Municipal Community of Nomia, D.E. Monemvasia”, as part of the “Peloponnese” Program 2021-2027 (Invitation PEL143, O.P.S. 24176). This project pertains to a section of the coastline approximately 100 meters long.
However, this development, while bringing to light a pressing issue, raises serious questions regarding its scientific adequacy, long-term effectiveness, and the management delays of the municipal authority.
The choice of nourishment (artificial replenishment of the beach through sand transport) is internationally recognized as a mild method. However, if not combined with permanent supportive works, it acts as a short-term measure. Without additional measures to retain the material, the next intense winter storm risks sweeping away a significant portion of it, leading to unnecessary waste of public and European funds.
The dominant question that looms is what scientific data the Municipality is relying on for this submission. In the recent meeting of the Municipal Committee, it was stated that the Municipality has already arranged for a comprehensive coastal engineering study.
If this is indeed the case, a reasonable question arises: Why was it not utilized for the complete maturation and proper design of the project—if not for the entire coastal zone, at least for a significant portion of it?
The issue of erosion at Xifia has been acknowledged for years, reaching the relevant Ministries through parliamentary questions, with Laconian MPs emphasizing the need for immediate scientific documentation. Simultaneously, the matter has been raised in multiple working meetings with the Deputy Regional Governor of Laconia, while recent interventions by regional councilors have brought the issue back to the forefront, demanding serious attention.
The problem at Xifia became fully apparent and was officially recorded as early as 2017, when citizens gathered signatures. Since then, nearly a decade has passed.
The specific invitation of the “Peloponnese” program opened for submissions on June 29, 2026, with a final deadline of October 30, 2026. However, the Municipality of Monemvasia waited until October 13, 2026, to convene the Municipal Committee, and the issue was only introduced for discussion at the Regional Council meeting on October 21, 2026.
All of the above demonstrates the municipal authority’s inability to adequately prepare during this entire period to submit a timely, complete, and well-structured proposal.
The local community and visitors to Xifia are not merely seeking the absorption of funds for the production of temporary impressions. They demand the fundamental respect for the resilience of the area and a serious, scientifically substantiated intervention that will ensure the beach does not disappear permanently from the map.
