"No one knows for sure how long the road will be closed, but meanwhile our business is going down, down, down," she claimed.

Mihalis Parassiris, owner of the Parassiris Seafood Taverna in Karteros, looked at the construction on the road in front of his shop and shook his head.

"We were not notified by anyone before the Aposelemi works closed up the road," he said. "Last Saturday I couldn't open my doors until five in the afternoon.  And, most of this during the fasting before Easter, which normally is a good period for a seafood taverna."

When told that the business owners felt they should have been notified by the township before digging began, Gouves Mayor Yiorgos Nikolakakis said he had talks with Aktor, the contracting company for the Aposelemi works, and had been assured that they would begin in the winter in order not to hinder the tourist season.

"Not only did they start the work on the old national road in Kokkini and Kako Oros right before the season began, but they never even notified us," he said angrily. "When the vice mayor confronted the managing council their excuse was that our ramps were not finished on time and that the parallel streets to the ramps were not restored in time by the road works department.  It's the usual lack of communication between services."

One of the problems, according to the mayor, is that no one department, either from the prefecture or the district, has been authorized to supervise the project, which allows the contracting to basically do as it pleases.

Since there is no legal way for these businesses to recoup lost income, it is reported that one hotel in Karteros has already instituted legal action.

"Many feel that it is the only way to be compensated for lost income," the mayor said.