Parliament rejected President’s veto to the State Property Act changes

With 143 votes in favour, no vote against and no abstentions, MPs on 29th of May unanimously rejected the presidential veto and re-voted for the changes to the State Property Act.

Although the President supported the main goal of the changes - to optimize and accelerate the process of building significant national sites, he returned them for a new discussion, arguing that a balance between the public interest and the right to property was not achieved.

According to the head of state, instead of acceleration, there will be a risk of delaying important infrastructure sites. Even now the advance implementation of expropriation acts is applicable to national sites, such as motorways, ports, airports, gas pipelines, etc., the President says.

The amendments, however, add sites of national importance, defined as such by a law or an act of the Council of Ministers.

The Head of State also opposes the unequal treatment of small and large owners of farmlands and forest areas, who will be compensated in a different way under the revisions. This change creates a serious risk of delaying, rather than speeding up the process of building significant national sites, the President's statement reads.