Corfu, March 11 – The Municipality of Central Corfu is engaged in a protracted legal dispute, spanning 78 years, to reclaim a property located in the heart of the city. The case, which involves an expropriated plot from 1948, was heard in the Single-Member Court of Appeals of Corfu on Friday, March 6.
Decades-Long Legal Saga for Central Corfu Property
The municipality has taken legal action to secure the return of the property, a matter that was definitively settled by the Council of State in 2018 in favor of the municipality. The property in question is situated at the intersection of Scholemvourgou, G. Theotoki, and Velissariou streets, and was expropriated as part of the implementation of the then-new urban plan for the Jewish quarter of Corfu.
Expropriation and Compensation in the 1950s
The original owner of the property was compensated in 1958 with the concession of an equivalent new plot of land. This new plot was in a particularly privileged and commercial location, adjacent to the National Bank and opposite the Annunziata monument. Following this, the municipality undertook actions to determine compensation for the building on the expropriated plot, with procedures initiated in 1966, 1994, and 2003.
Challenging the Expropriation: A Legal Setback for Opponents
In 2003, the opposing parties challenged the legality of the expropriation for the first time, arguing that it had not been completed. This issue was judicially examined and definitively resolved in 2018 by a decision of the Council of State, which ruled in favor of the municipality. Furthermore, in 2024, it was determined that any claims for compensation by the opposing parties had lapsed due to prescription.
Property Remains Unreturned Despite Favorable Rulings
Despite these definitive court decisions, the property has not yet been returned to the municipality. The current occupants continue to exploit the property, collecting rents from both the expropriated property and the new property that was granted to them. Simultaneously, they have once again appealed to the judiciary, filing applications in 2022 and 2023 with the administrative courts, seeking to overturn the decisions that have already been issued.
Municipality Committed to Reclaiming Public Property
The Municipality of Central Corfu, through its announcement, reaffirms its commitment to resolving this long-standing legal issue and ensuring the return of the expropriated property for public use. The ongoing legal battle highlights the complexities and prolonged nature of property disputes, particularly those with historical roots and multiple legal challenges. The municipality awaits further legal proceedings to finally conclude this decades-old case.
