Legalizations, the new role of municipalities starts with violation of deadlines

Since the month of June, the municipalities have officially taken on a new role to give impetus to the process of legalization of constructions without permission. The government's decision defines the new rules of cooperation between the municipalities and the State Cadastre Agency, giving the parties a coordinating role in order to complete the legalizations.

Municipalities are obliged to set up special offices with dedicated staff after signing a cooperation agreement with Cadastre. 

"First, it is the municipalities that will set the priorities and determine the pace of the work plan of the local legalization office, so the process will be led by you with a dedicated staff that you will create until September, when this process will begin," declared Prime Minister Edi Rama, in July during the meeting with the mayors and the leaders of the State Cadastre Agency.

The process, which should start implementation from September, would be controlled by the Minister of State for Local Government, as the parties have the obligation to report to him every month.

Fact

The data provided by Faktoje.al through the right to information law show that until October 28, 16 municipalities still had not fulfilled the obligation to sign the agreement with ASHK within the month of September. that VKM defines,

"Based on the information so far that the Minister of State for Local Government has, there are about 45 LGUs that have signed the agreement with ASHK and approved it in the Municipal Council," declares the Ministry of Local Government.

"Other municipalities are in the process of carrying out this procedure", adds the ministry, suggesting that, however, more accurate information could be found "in the offices of each municipality, or in the central office of the ASHK." ".

Legalizations, the role of important municipalities

Agron Haxhimali from the Institute of Municipalities sees the involvement of municipalities in the legalization process as important. "It has been repeatedly requested from the municipalities to have a role in this process. At the core of these changes lies the interest to speed up the process", he says.

Haxhimali adds that apart from the coordinating role, the municipalities should also exert pressure on the State Cadastre Agency. "The Cadastre Agency has the monopoly on the final certification, in case they think that the file is correct and the delays are unjustified." - he says.

The law foresees December 2028 as the deadline for the completion of the process of legalization of constructions without permission in Albania.

"Considering that there are almost 240,000 objects for legalization in all municipalities, this leads to doubts about the completion of the process," Haxhimali underlines.

"This delay basically includes the appeal processes in the courts for ownership issues, but not only. What this means is that neither the municipalities nor the Cadastre itself and no one can intervene," he concludes.

cONcluSiON

Based on the information gathered, we categorize the statement of Prime Minister Edi Rama that the legalization process would be led by the municipalities with a dedicated staff until the month of September as half true. Faktoje.al