By T. Igoumenidi
[email protected]
The Greek state's decades-long effort to finally create a unified and functional land registry (cadastre) throughout the country will reportedly add another chapter in the coming period, with the creation of a new state-run entity, under the auspices of the environment ministry, to oversee the current public societe anonyme company managing the sputtering endeavor.
Greece is one of a handful of countries in the western world that still does not have a unified and functioning land registry, a huge institutional omission that impedes major real estate development, dilutes land use and zoning laws and continues to facilitate a "cottage industry" of illegal building and squatting in areas beyond town planning limits.
The new umbrella entity - to be known as the Hellenic Cadastre in English - will reportedly control all of the current land deed offices in the country, as well as the company implementing the national land registry program.
Based on a draft law seen by "N", the public company will absorb the personnel of current land deed offices.
The development comes amid the pending tender for a concessionaire to complete the land registry and publication of so-called forestry maps - cartographic diagrams of areas where forestland - public or private property - stands or once existed.
Despite efforts over the past 20 years, including massive EU funding that the Commission (late 1990s) demanded be returned due to inept management by the Greek state, roughly 8.6 million hectares of land - 63.5 percent of Greece's total area - remains unregistered. This area corresponds with 16.5 million property deeds or claims.
It's noteworthy that sealed bids for 26 out of 32 contracts related to Block 16 of the project were opened last December, without as yet any contract signed with the winning bidder. At the same time, implementation of previous contracts is pending.
