Authorities have scrapped plans to lease the two main sand beaches on the tiny island of Ano Koufonissi to businesses that planned to set up sun loungers and umbrellas there, ending their free and unrestricted use by the public.

The Finance Ministry, which is responsible for leasing Greece’s once pristine and freely accessible beaches to developers, halted the process it had launched for Pori and Italida on Ano Koufonissi — itself a once-unknown destination that has been attacked by over-tourism.

The volte-face followed protests from local authorities. The entire island, near Naxos in the Cyclades, is part of the European Natura 2000 network of environmentally protected zones.

Initially, the ministry had intended to lease 500 square meters on each beach, following an application by an interested developer who had also wanted to set up beach bars there. Environment ministry officials had green-lighted the project, objecting only to the prospect of beach bars.

The plan had horrified Naxos municipal officials, who are responsible for Koufonissi and the other outlying islets of Iraklia, Schinoussa and Donoussa. Local authorities lack any power to block Finance Ministry decisions on leasing beaches.