The Albanian government has proposed significant changes to agricultural land legislation, paving the way for foreign citizens to purchase land in Albania for the first time.
The draft law presented by the Ministry of Agriculture and published for public consultation foresees changing the restrictions imposed since 1998, when foreigners were prohibited from purchasing land, while only leasing for up to 99 years was allowed.
Article 4 of the new draft stipulates that foreigners can privatize up to 2 hectares of land within a municipality and up to 30 hectares at the republic level, including state-owned areas.
“In the case of the sale and purchase of undivided agricultural land in state ownership, the municipalities in whose jurisdiction the land is located have the competence to carry out the procedures, but the final decision on the transfer of ownership is made by the competent authority,” the document published for consultation states.
The draft law also provides for special criteria for foreign buyers. They must have been residents in Albania for at least five years and have proven a minimum of three years of experience in agricultural activity.
Also, buyers will have to guarantee that the land will be used only for agricultural activities and not for other development activities.
In cases where the land is privately owned, the seller will need to present ownership documentation and a family certificate, in order to avoid possible conflicts after the transaction.
This is the first time that Albania has legally provided for the sale of agricultural land to foreign citizens, while until now they have had the right to purchase apartments and buildings, but not land or agricultural land.