Serbia is preparing a new law aimed at resolving decades-long issues with illegal construction. President Aleksandar Vučić announced a simplified legalization process that would allow owners to register property rights for illegally built structures, potentially covering 4.8 million buildings. The plan is to make registration fast, inexpensive—costing between €100 and €1,000 depending on location and size—and provide property titles within 60 days for eligible structures.
The law will apply only to properties built on the owner’s land, excluding constructions on protected areas or other people’s property, which will become state-owned. New illegal buildings will automatically be claimed by the state. Authorities say the measure will protect buyers who previously purchased illegal properties from unscrupulous investors, without absolving any criminal responsibility for fraud.
Legalization aims to formalize ownership, enabling sales, mortgages, and clearer property rights, but experts caution that registration alone may not fully legalize a building. Structures with unresolved legal or technical issues may still have limited market value.
Past attempts at legalization—including laws from 2013 and 2015—saw only partial success. Despite previous efforts, the number of illegal buildings in Serbia has grown, particularly in suburban areas of Belgrade like Kaluđerica, Altina, Borča, Ovča, and Mirijevo.
The government emphasizes that the new law introduces zero tolerance for future illegal construction and will streamline the cadastral registration process. However, uncertainties remain regarding full legalization for post-2015 buildings and whether the state will appropriate some structures. Experts note that the success of the law depends on clarifying legal, technical, and planning requirements to avoid rewarding unlawful builders while disadvantaging law-abiding citizens.
