Local authority officials and residents of Corfu have raised the alarm over the gradual destruction of the famous olive grove on the island.
The grove; that has up to 500 year old olive trees, that is visited by thousands of tourists every year, has become the target of illegal logging.
Eco groups and local residents say that historic trees have been turned into firewood. They say that the central government remains a spectator to the ongoing destruction of the olive grove.
Last week the issue was raised in the Greek Parliament by an opposition MP.
Deputy Interior Minister, Nikos Toskas, admitted that there is mounting concern about the illegal activities in the grove and said that in the 2012-2017 period, the authorities sent 13 cases to the public prosecutor.
Toskas reassured lawmakers that the government continues to monitor the situation, “in order to safeguard and preserve the quality of the environment”.
He also promised that there will be extra patrols and targeted inspections to ensure that the illegal logging is eradicated.
The issue has also been addressed by the Ionian Islands Regional Council, which decided to proceed with the procurement of an electronic system, for automatic satellite recordings of changes in the olive grove.
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