Ministry extends deadline for illegal constructions
Property owners who are entitled to have their illegal buildings or additions legalized will have until December 31, 2025 to enter a settlement plan, although this will cost a higher fee, according to an amendment submitted in Parliament by the Environment Ministry on Thursday, which extended the original June 30, 2020 deadline.
The legalization fee will increase by 20 percent as of July 1, 2020 and will rise by 5 percent every year after that. The deadline will only be extended by six months in cases of blatant legal violations such as structures that do not have a building license.
It is the sixth time in 10 years that a government is introducing measures enabling owners to protect their illegal properties from demolition.
Environment Minister Kostis Hatzidakis has in the past criticized similar legalization initiatives.
The previous administration had vowed to check the “chaos of unruly construction” after a fire in Mati, eastern Attica killed 100 people in July 2018.
The new regulations also stipulate that properties that go on the market after July 1 must carry a digital ID, which will allow public entities to electronically monitor property ownership. The ID will also be required when legalizing an illegal building.
