With 4+1 new measures announced by the Vice President of the Government, Kostis Hatzidakis, thousands of property ownership cases and real estate transactions that have long been stalled are set to move forward. In addition, nine further measures aim to significantly improve millions of citizens’ day-to-day dealings with the public sector.

The breakthrough — and long-awaited relief — for thousands of property owners comes from their definitive exemption from legal disputes and prosecutions over properties they have effectively owned for decades.

What changes:

• For the first time, heirs who inherit property “on paper” but lack the funds to pay inheritance tax will be able to complete transfers and pay the tax at the time of sale.
• Two additional measures address properties frozen due to tax debts, even in cases where the tax authority has already imposed seizures.
• Thousands of property transfers will be relieved of the cost and bureaucracy of mandatory topographical surveys, provided the properties are located within approved urban plans.

The measures will be released for public consultation before being submitted to Parliament. In practice, the following changes apply:

1. The State Stops Claiming Privately Owned Property Held Lawfully

The most significant reform concerns the State’s withdrawal from claiming properties that citizens can prove they lawfully possess.

As Mr. Hadjidakis explained, the situation had reached absurd levels:

“When I was Minister of the Environment, I saw the public administration claiming entire neighborhoods using Ottoman-era decrees — even as late as 2020.”

Similar cases occurred in Karditsa, where the State laid claim to apartment buildings that had been occupied by residents for decades.

The three key interventions:

• First, the State will no longer assert ownership or file lawsuits for properties registered up to 1975, before the current Constitution came into force.
• Second, protection is extended to properties settled by citizens following instructions from public authorities — mainly refugees, including those from Asia Minor who received official titles decades ago.
• Third, cases involving temporary or provisional title deeds issued by the State itself are covered. Any pending court cases challenging ownership of such properties are abolished, except for public-use land, archaeological sites, and forest areas.

2. Payment of Inheritance Tax at the Time of Property Transfer

Currently, heirs who cannot afford the inheritance tax are unable to sell inherited property in order to pay it. This often forces them into informal agreements with buyers at a financial loss.

Under the new regulation, the transaction may proceed, and the inheritance tax can be paid directly from the sale proceeds at closing.

3. Transfer of Seized Property

The Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) will be able to allow the transfer of seized property, provided that a percentage of the sale price — determined based on the outstanding debt — is withheld and paid directly to AADE by the notary.

4. Notaries as a “One-Stop Shop”

Notaries will gain electronic access to:

• The Technical Chamber of Greece (for issuing digital building IDs)
• AADE (for tax exemptions and transfer tax filings)

They will submit tax declarations, collect and distribute payments through a special protected account, and handle all related procedures. Parties will only need to be present to sign the contract.

5. Abolition of Mandatory Topographical Surveys in Approved Urban Areas

If a property is located in an area with an approved and registered urban plan and an operational cadastre, a new private topographical survey will no longer be required. The cadastral file already contains the necessary data, while building conditions are verified through the electronic building ID.

Additional Measures to Reduce Bureaucracy

The bill also introduces broader reforms to restore common sense to public-sector transactions:

• Certificates are replaced by sworn declarations, where the State already holds the relevant information.
• Digital tracking of applications so citizens can follow their progress in real time.
• Digital tracking of complaints, using a reference code (applicable to named complaints only).
• Stricter penalties for abuse — the facilitation measures apply only to compliant and law-abiding citizens.