2024, Albania and Portugal, among the most problematic countries in Europe for property issues

2025-10-17 08:44:00, Sociale CNA

2024, Albania and Portugal, among the most problematic countries in Europe for

Property issues in our country rank Albania second after Portugal for the high level of problems with property titles and lengthy court processes.

According to World Bank data for 2024, Albania has an index of 0.80 (where 0 is the lowest value and 1 is the highest) for property rights, a level that remains significantly lower than the average of European Union countries, which stands at around 0.93.

The index assesses the strength and security of the property system that a country offers, from the legal protection of owners and investors, to the functioning of the property market and the clarity of public records.

In the case of Albania, this result shows that property rights remain one of the most fragile points of the legal and institutional system.

Historical problems with property titles, fragmentation of registers, lengthy court processes, and lack of transparency in document verification continue to hinder the creation of a stable environment for private property.

Efforts to digitize the cadastral system and unify data through the State Cadastre Agency have brought some improvements, but the pace of reform remains slow and still insufficient.

Compared to other Western Balkan countries, Albania ranks slightly weaker than North Macedonia (0.81) and slightly lower than Bosnia and Herzegovina (0.82).

Serbia and Montenegro, with values ??of 0.88 and 0.90 respectively, have improved significantly thanks to the digitalization of property registries and the strengthening of judicial mechanisms for the protection of owners' rights.

This shows that countries that have undertaken sustainable institutional reforms and invested in transparency have achieved higher results in this index.

On the other hand, European Union countries remain far ahead.

Germany (0.97), Iceland (0.96) and Spain (0.95) represent the highest standard of legal security and property administration, where every transaction is traceable, supported by advanced technology and fully guaranteed by the judicial system.

This distance of approximately 15 to 20 percentage points between Albania and European countries indicates the need for deepening legal and institutional reforms in the field of property.

The World Bank index includes the right to acquire, own, inherit, and sell private property, including land.

Restrictions on property rights can come from the state, which may legally restrict or not enforce them; from customary laws and practices; or from religious and social norms./ Monitor