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Greece Unblocks Agricultural Land Ownership for Farmers Decades Later
🇬🇷 Greece /Economy & Trade

Greece Unblocks Agricultural Land Ownership for Farmers Decades Later

From Kathimerini · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Greece is simplifying the process for citizens to gain full ownership of agricultural lands they have cultivated for decades.
  • A new circular implements a 2026 law, allowing farmers to transfer or inherit these state-granted lands, resolving a long-standing issue.
  • This change is crucial for farmers to receive subsidies, as unclear land ownership had prevented many from accessing funds.

Greece is moving to resolve a decades-long issue concerning agricultural land ownership, enabling hundreds of thousands of citizens to finally secure full title to properties they have been cultivating. A new circular, implementing a provision from the "Interventions for a More Citizen-Friendly State" law passed in April 2026, directs the state to cease claims on these agricultural properties that were previously granted to citizens through various distribution acts.

We cannot have temporary grants from the time of Venizelos and then remember a hundred years later that these grants are not valid.

— Kostis HatzidakisDeputy Prime Minister commenting on the historical issue of land grants and the need for resolution.

This regulatory shift is particularly timely as stricter conditions for farmers' subsidy applications through the Integrated Management System of Subsidies (OSDE) have recently come into effect. Many farmers, especially in Northern Greece and Central Macedonia, had been denied payments because land registry records indicated the state still owned the plots they cultivated. The upcoming application period, with its enhanced cross-checking system, necessitates accurate land declarations, making clear ownership paramount.

Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis stated that the government is acting decisively to end a situation where temporary grants dating back to the era of Eleftherios Venizelos were still being questioned a century later. "We are proceeding with the implementation of all the provisions of the law, guided by the principle that citizens must cease being treated as subjects by the state," he said. Minister of Rural Development and Food, Margaritis Schinas, added that the ministry's circular provides clear instructions for swift and transparent procedures, minimizing hassle for citizens.

We are proceeding with the implementation of all the provisions of the law, guided by the principle that citizens must cease being treated as subjects by the state.

— Kostis HatzidakisExplaining the government's approach to citizen-centric reforms.

Sources from the Ministry of Rural Development acknowledge that determining the exact extent of these lands and the number of beneficiaries is challenging due to incomplete data. The land registry service lacks comprehensive records, and interoperability issues persist for many state registries. However, they anticipate better clarity with the upcoming Property and Real Estate Management Registry (MIDA). The issue is complex, with large tracts granted to landless refugees in 1922 potentially now cultivated by different farmers whose original beneficiaries have passed away and heirs are not engaged in agriculture.

the circular that has been issued by the ministry gives clear instructions to its services so that the procedures are completed quickly and transparently and without unnecessary hassle.

— Margaritis SchinasMinister of Rural Development and Food on the implementation of the new law.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathimerini in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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