A new "umbrella" type of mafia has developed in Europe

Italian beaches, according to Die Welt, are de facto owned by several families, and their "umbrella" business is extremely profitable. Some tourists pay up to 75 euros for daily rent of two sun loungers.

"The mafia is interested in this. The business model is ideal for laundering dirty money," says Eleonora Poli, who heads the European Policy Center (CPE) in Rome.

All Italian beaches are owned by the state, but the authorities issue licenses for the use of individual sites. According to the FIBA industry association, almost all "balneari" (rows of deck chairs with catering infrastructure — EADaily) are privately owned by individual families. And often for decades.

You will have to pay from 20 to 30 euros for renting two sun loungers and an umbrella for one day, and in the most popular areas the fee reaches 75 euros. Prices are high and in many places there is practically no opportunity to lie on the beach without paying a fee.

"In some regions, such as Liguria and Emilia-Romagna, less than a third of the coastline is accessible. Italian law says that operators must provide everyone with free access — not to sun loungers, but to the beach and the sea," says Ms. Poli.