Plots of Land for the Church to Be Provided for Free Use, Not Ownership Rights

A proposal has been made to amend the land code of Armenia. The presented draft suggests nullifying part 1.2 of Article 64 of the Land Code of the Republic of Armenia, which stipulated that plots of land belonging to the state and communities could be provided to the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church for free in terms of property rights, for the construction of churches and church-related buildings, as well as their maintenance.

The necessity for this amendment is linked to the ongoing policy aimed at the targeted and efficient use of property owned by the state and communities, and the change should be viewed in this context, stated Astatur Vardanyan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, while presenting the draft law on amendments to the Land Code.

The speaker noted that the amendment will only apply to legal relations arising after the law is adopted. The positive conclusion of the principal committee regarding the draft law was presented by Vahe Galumyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture, and Environmental Protection. The issue was discussed in the first reading during the regular session of the National Assembly on February 10.