Massive Confiscation Of Land Plots Near Minsk

Village councils have actively started to file legal claims against citizens.

The right of private ownership on land is relatively arbitrary in Belarus until a house is built on the plot allocated for the construction of housing. At that, the development of land is to be started within a year, and the foundation, walls and roof are to be built within 3 years.

Some landowners cannot follow this scheme, and village councils have actively been filing legal suits in order to seize such land plots.

E. Hurjava, a Minsk Region Court Deputy Chairman, reported to sb.by, in 2016, the court considered 16 civil cases on Minsk region village councils’ claims on seizure of land. Of these, 10 were satisfied, 1 was left without consideration. In 3 of the cases, the land was left to the owners.

Since the beginning of this year, the court has already considered 9 village councils’ claims on seizure of land from citizens, 8 of them has been satisfied.