THE NEW Construction Act should stop additional legalisation of buildings, Transport Ministry State Secretary František Palko said, after a meeting with the representatives of the third sector at which they discussed their comments to the draft law.
“The institute of additional legalisation has caused huge damages and problems regarding illegal buildings,” Palko said, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
Under the new rules, the state will demolish all buildings without construction permission. It will be possible to additionally legalise the constructions only until July 1, 2016, i.e. one year after the law comes into force. The costs will be paid by the constructor or owner of the building, or the owner of the land. If not, they will be threatened with distrainment, TASR wrote.
The ministry admitted that in special cases, such as the protection of health and property, it will be possible to receive additional construction permission.
“I can imagine keeping the institute in case of natural catastrophes and similar events,” Palko said, as quoted by TASR.
The Transport Ministry and representatives of NGOs also discussed other provisions proposed in the new law. These also included those sent by the Institute of Urban Development and Via Iuris civic association which pertained to the number of participants in individual proceedings and simplification of decision-making processes. Via Iuris also asked for removing the provisions which according to it, restrict the rights of people when legalising the buildings and limit the possibilities of municipalities to decide on their territory, the SITA newswire wrote.
According to Palko, they solved nearly all fundamental comments and in most cases reached a compromise between the participating parties.
“It is good news for the public that we are close to finishing the preparation of the new Construction Act whose main aim is to simplify the lives of people,” Palko said, as quoted by SITA.
The Transport Ministry received altogether 2,309 comments from 69 subjects to the draft law last summer, of which 1,143 were fundamental, plus another four collective comments. The interdepartmental review and the accompanying draft law on expropriating the lands and constructions lasted two months, till August 2014. The ministry should submit both draft laws to the government in the following weeks, which should become effective on July 1, 2015.
Source: TASR, SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
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