Conference on Property Right Organized at UBT
02/10/2015In the series the conferences organized by the UBT, yet another one was held today to treat the topic of the property right, which is of a big importance for the development and regulation of this sector in the country.
Organized by the Austrian Kosovo Society and the UBT, the conference was moderated by Gunther Fehlinger. Panelists tacked on different issues related to the property rights, property registration, and other aspects.
Representatives of the central government institutions, courts, and professional agencies dealing with the property issues, as well as representatives of other institutions and experts of the field, attended the conference and made valuable contribution in treating the topic.
Opening the event, UBT Rector Prof. Dr. Edmond Hajrizi spoke about the importance of the conferences organized by the UBT in treating a board spectrum of topics of interest for the Kosovar society. He said the topics treated in these conferences concern the life of citizens. In this context, he noted that the property rights’ issue is a topic of interest for every family and citizens who may be faced with the challenge of property, safety, and tax payment.
Armend Kelmendi, a representative of the Institute of European Integrations, said the organization he represented and the Austrian Kosovo Society had been cooperating for two years and they had organized many events and conferences to treat different topics. He advised that the topic that was being treated at this conference was of a high importance for Kosovo, especially in terms of adjustment of the legal framework with the EU standards.
“By securing a property you are securing your life, because property is an inseparable part of the people’s lives. With the steps that we have taken, we are moving toward the EU standards and we may soon become a fully-fledged member,” Kelmendi said.
Arbena Shehu from the Women’s Network said efforts were needed to improve the property rights of women the women’s role in decision-making over property issues. She noted that the participation of women is very low and the women have had limited opportunities of reaching decisions on property matters. According to Mrs. Shehu, the issue of the property rights of women as well as their role in decision- making and equality of women in this respect should concern all sections of society.
Agron Beka, Executive Director of the Social Housing and Property Rights in Kosovo NGO, focused on the issue of the property tax. He said the taxes on property were being paid regularly, yet improvements were needed because a part of the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo fail to meet these obligations on time.
Professor Zejnullah Gruda elaborated on a number of issues related to the legislation and different problems related to the property.
Shkumbin Asllani from the “Alpbach Kosovo” also spoke at the conference. Among others, he said the property sector in Kosovo was not in the very good position, and according to him, and one of the reasons is the lack of training on property security.
“Lack of laws, inadequate information of the citizens on the property security, and non-definition of properties are still a problem in Kosovo,” Mr. Asllani said among others. He also spoke about the inheritance process, which he considered crucial issue because it plays a key role in the property of individuals. According to him, there are many institutions in Kosovo dealing with the property insurances but they do not coordinate duly.
Other panelists contributed to the conference and interesting discussions that followed.