Status of Land Reform and Real Property Markets in Albania

Over the last 14 years, substantial progress has been made in carrying forward the civil law reforms and the programs of ownership transfer in Albania. Almost all families and some juridical persons have received documentation giving ownership rights in land and housing units, and most families and enterprises now occupy and use their land premises. Major problems remain. First, there are unresolved conflicting claims to land and properties made by former owners (pre-1945) and current occupants in some villages and urban neighborhoods. The former owners’ claims will not be resolved until a fair method of compensation has been devised. Second, many illegal land subdivisions and construction projects have taken place, primarily on the periphery of cities and in tourism zones. These areas constitute a stock of citizen assets without legal protection and operating in the "informal" market. They often lack infrastructure and pose a health hazard. Third, the legal land and property holdings are highly fragmented, in both rural and urban areas. In order that land be managed efficiently, processes of consolidation should take place and a system of detailed agreements between owners must be worked out.