Alternate Finance Minister Tryfon Alexiadis submitted figures to Greek Parliament on Monday showing that in the region of Attica alone, where Athens is located, there are eight out of 10 public properties that have been breached by private parties. Data shows that millions of square meters of land have been usurped making it difficult for state authorities to exploit the land, while also highlighting the weakness of state institutions to protecting public assets as competent authorities in the relevant department are understaffed.

Alexiadis presented the data in response to a question by main opposition New Democracy deputy Evangelos Basiakos. As a result of the appropriation of public property by private persons, state assets are lost as people who claim the property appear in court and tax records as legal owners. They even have title deeds that they have created themselves or have been handed down by their predecessors or original usurpers since 1884.

A plan by the Finance Ministry to provide for the legalization of usurped public land was never implemented.

Source: greece.greekreporter.com