Mystreet: Complaint app now active for café tables that “swallow up” public space
Source: ProtoThema English
A new tool in the hands of citizens for supervising the use of public spaces has gone live in recent days. Following the publication of the Joint Ministerial Decision, the special electronic application MyStreet was launched to allow the submission of complaints regarding the unlawful use of public spaces by food and beverage establishments. The app aims to promote transparency, strengthen supervision, and make it easier for citizens to participate in monitoring the use of public areas—particularly where tables and chairs are placed. MyStreet follows the model of the successful MyCoast app, which helps safeguard free public access to beaches, ensures transparency in shoreline concessions, and promotes the responsible use of public assets, while also contributing positively to environmental protection.
A recent report by the State Audit Council revealed that 50% of establishments placing tables and chairs in public spaces lacked municipal permits, while 27% of those with permits violated them by occupying more space than allowed. The audit, conducted across 14 municipalities, included on-site inspections of 476 businesses. Of these, 237 (50%) used public space without authorization and 129 (27%) exceeded the limits of their permits, bringing the overall rate of violations to 77%.
Free and accessible: MyStreet is available at no cost and can be installed on Android and iOS smart devices (tablets, smartphones, and similar). Through the app, citizens can view maps with geospatial data of permitted areas for each municipality, identify violations against authorized use, and submit complaints either anonymously or under their name.
The new platform allows citizens to report illegal use of public space, while ensuring that all submissions are handled securely, transparently, and with respect for privacy. Users can log in either under their name, using credentials from the General Secretariat for Information Systems of Digital Governance (GSISDG), or anonymously as guests, without providing personal details—thus accommodating both those who prefer discretion and those who opt for anonymous reporting.
For complaints filed under a user’s name, the complaint administrator can only access the reporting history, with specific details that enable swift identification and evaluation of the case. Users can view the unique complaint number, submission date, reason, summary description, any contact details they provided, and the location and municipality concerned.
Safeguards against misuse: To prevent abuse and improve efficiency, the app allows only one complaint per day from each device for the same violation. Citizens can also submit complaints via mobile devices near points of interest, making it easier to record problems live and in real time. Municipalities have access to the Unified Public Space Registry, where each complaint is logged and categorized according to the number of reports per location, severity of the violation, completeness of the information, and whether it was filed anonymously or not.
The platform’s technological infrastructure ensures interoperability between systems and secure user authentication, while all data processing complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The Ministry of Digital Governance has been designated as the overall data controller, with municipal authorities acting independently and responsibly to manage procedures and implement complaints.
The system’s administrative settings and technical design provide an integrated and secure digital solution, aiming for the rapid and effective resolution of problems in public spaces, while prioritizing data protection and transparency. In this way, the government seeks to strengthen citizen participation in everyday governance, making the system more democratic, flexible, and accessible to all—while also contributing to a more balanced coexistence between business activity and quality of life in the urban environment.
Ask me anything
Explore related questions
The original article: belongs to ProtoThema English .
