Alexandros Doukakis
Founder & CEO, TERRE ΙΚΕ

In July 2026, the Ministry of Justice presented a legislative initiative for a fundamental reform of the framework governing horizontal and vertical property ownership. Its official presentation records 1,116 legislative instruments relating to horizontal property ownership [1].

We examined why the 1929 framework has reached its limits in the “Co-ownership Law” series. Here, our concern is different: who decides on its replacement, and what we owe to that process.

Legislating is a public duty

Under Article 26 of the Constitution, legislative power is exercised by Parliament and the President of the Republic [2]. The provisions are drafted by specialists; the decision, however, is an exercise of public duty. Its most difficult aspect is judging when a law can still be repaired and when it must be replaced.

I openly support replacing the 1929 framework. It is a bold choice, because amendment is always easier. With this article, I am looking for supporters.

Public consultation as prevention

When a law struggles with everyday reality for decades, the remedy follows: new provisions, joint ministerial decisions and presidential decrees. The remedy comes after someone has already paid the price of the mistake.

Prevention takes the form of public consultation. Law 4622/2019 provides for consultation on bills, normally lasting two weeks, through opengov.gr [3]. It is the agora of ancient Athens in its present-day form.

The obligation: moral and objective

We have an obligation, both moral and objective, to ensure that the new law is adapted to Greece’s current needs and aligned with the European Union.

The moral obligation begins with the home, which has always been, and will remain, bound up with human nature. Those who apply the 1929 law every day know where it does not work. Their knowledge must reach the consultation, rather than the courtroom after the event.

The objective obligation has two benchmarks. The first is the reality in Greece, as recorded by the Ministry itself: short-term rentals, land-for-apartment development arrangements, jointly owned undivided plots, and consent thresholds of up to 100% for amending building regulations [1].

The second is Europe. Article 345 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU provides that the Treaties do not prejudge the system of property ownership in the Member States [4]. Yet the Union already regulates buildings through Directive (EU) 2024/1275, as we discussed in August. One example is enough. Article 14(8) requires Member States to remove barriers to installing a private recharging point for personal use in residential buildings with parking spaces, including the need for co-owners’ consent. A request may be refused only on serious and legitimate grounds, subject to national property and tenancy law [5]. The European obligation will be put to the test at the building’s general meeting.

When the new Property Code is posted on opengov.gr, let us read it article by article and submit comments under our names, supported by evidence. Replacement is the legislator’s task. Its quality will also depend on our participation.

This article is for information purposes and does not replace legal advice on a specific case. The information was checked on 10 November 2026.

Sources

  1. Ministry of Justice, “Modernising co-ownership in Greece”, July 2026, slides 2 to 4 (in Greek).
  2. Constitution of Greece, Article 26(1), official edition of the Hellenic Parliament (in Greek).
  3. Law 4622/2019, Article 61(2) and (3), Government Gazette A 133, 7 August 2019, page 3251 (in Greek).
  4. Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Article 345, Official Journal C 202, 7 June 2016, page 194.
  5. Directive (EU) 2024/1275 on the energy performance of buildings, Article 14(8), Official Journal of the European Union, 8 May 2024.