OSCE Presence in Albania

Property reform

Unresolved property issues in the coastal area of Albania hinder the legal certainty of ownership necessary for a viable land market. Photo taken 2008. (OSCE/Darcie Nielsen)
Unresolved property issues in the coastal area of Albania hinder the legal certainty of ownership necessary for a viable land market. Photo taken 2008. (OSCE/Darcie Nielsen)

Since 2003, the Presence has implemented technical assistance projects to assist the Government to achieve the property reform necessary for a productive land market. In 2010, the Presence began to implement an immovable property registration project along the country's largely undeveloped Ionian Sea coast. Disputes over property ownership in the coastal region have caused social strife and blocked initiatives to develop the region's tourist potential. Immovable property registration provides a mechanism through which conflicts may be resolved and clear title of ownership issued to help facilitate the sustainable development of the region. The project aims to include approximately 50,000 properties in the registration process.

The Presence also works closely with government institutions, providing expertise on immovable property registration as well as the restitution and compensation process. It provides the Government with comments on proposed property-related legislation and strategies, monitors the implementation of this legislation and co-ordinates its work with the international community.