World Bank cites 20 risks for Greece's sputtering land registry project

By Teti Igoumenidi
[email protected]

The Greek state's "Sisyphean" task of finally establishing a unified and functional land registry (cadastre) in the country has reportedly entered yet another crucial junction, with the current leftist government eyeing a new entity to complete the project -- and with the World Bank as the primary consultant.

The Washington-based development bank, however, is attaching a text with 20 "risks" in a "road map" ostensibly leading to the completion of the project.

Moreover, the World Bank views that any completion is unlikely to occur before 2020.

The very first "risk" cited by the World Bank is the fact, as it says, that Greece's relevant environment and energy ministry is not sufficiently backing the creation of a unified and functional land registry, whereas the justice ministry has differing opinions over the future of current title/deed offices in operation, views included in a draft bill that is currently in limbo.

The WB cites opposition in practically every "fiefdom" involved in land use in Greece -- one of two countries in Europe that reportedly lack a national cadastre throughout their territory, even though the modern Greek state was established in 1830.

The World Bank's list of risks, according to an exclusive report by "N", include, beyond the two ministries' reported "foot-dragging", the following:

• Constant changes in ministers holding the environment portfolio and on the board of directors for teh National Cadastre and Mapping Agency S.A., as the state-run entity tasked with creating a land registry for nearly two decades is called.
• Objections by the staff of the current title/deed offices to reforms
• Objections by the staff of the National Cadastre and Mapping Agency
• Lack of a sufficient budget for foreseen reforms
• Need of capable personnel to oversee reforms
• Unreliable cadastral files
• Possible registration with unreliable data from new cadastral contracts
• The abstention rate of property holders in the registration process
• Lack of government volition to register/ compile forest maps
• Lack of government volition to register / compile coastlines
• No provision for a digitalization of the current files in title offices
• Lack of interest by contractors and consultants to complete the project within deadlines
• Lack of description of buildings in cadastral registration
• Public entities are apparently not legally challenging for ownership of public lands.