The spread of rented lounge chairs on Greece’s beaches brings a pledge to increase inspections

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s finance minister has promised to step up inspections of beach bars and other businesses renting out seaside sunbeds and umbrellas. Wednesday’s move, at the peak of the key summer tourist season, follows complaints that it’s difficult, or impossible, for non-paying beachgoers to find a spot on the sand on many islands. Private beaches are illegal in Greece. But local authorities lease limited beach sections to entrepreneurs who provide the infrastructure and charge beachgoers for its use. Protest groups on some popular Aegean Sea resort islands, including Paros, Naxos and Serifos, charge that some entrepreneurs often far exceed the scope of their lease, taking up entire beaches and sometimes banning non-paying visitors from using them.