The Plenary Session of the Parliament, after a debate and after voting on an amendment submitted orally by DIKO, voted in law the proposal of DISY law that reduces the eviction process for tenants who do not pay their rent, to 6 months.
The law was passed with 31 votes in favor, 15 against, 2 abstentions and based on the regulations contained in the property owner who has contracted with the law on rent, if the rent is delayed for 21 days it can initiate the process of evicting the tenant and if if he does not pay his debts, or does not give a satisfactory answer to the Court, then the eviction process will proceed, which will last a total of 6 months. The Court will grant a period of grace of 90 days to the tenant to hand over the estate, whether it is residential or commercial.
DIKO MP Christiana Erotokritou, who tabled the oral amendment, explained that it aims at the non-retroactive effect of the law and gives a one-year margin for the payment of all due rents before the entry into force of the new law, which is immediate.
The amendment of DIKO was voted in favor with 48 votes in favor and 1 abstention.
The Plenary Session of the Parliament voted against amendments tabled by AKEL, EDEK, ELAM and the Independence Movement.
The President of DISY Averof Neophytou stated that there is a misreading that the owner is the owner and possessor. He added that the law on the rental property is subject to owners who are poor or small and medium. Owners and owners rent with use assignment contracts, he said, adding that a bill should be submitted for properties that do not fall under the law on rent.
The Chairman of the Legal Committee, George Georgiou, said that the new law removes a legal distortion that annulled the rights of the owners and made the low-paying tenants into ostensible owners.
AKEL MP Aristos Damianou said that there are indeed tenants who are strategic defaulters, but said that in court decisions the cases are individualized and people with serious financial problems are not evicted who want to pay but are unable to pay.
Mr. Damianou added that with the new law, the legislative framework of decades is overturned overnight, a fact that will create social and business unrest. He also stated that AKEL is voting against the bill because, as he said, if you do not pay rent, regardless of the reason, you receive the eviction charge, he also stated that DIKO's amendment is voted in favor by his party.
Ms. Erotokritou said that the law as it was formulated corrects a distortion that led to injustices in a context that does not exist anywhere in the world. “You can not say I do not pay my rent because I have another difference with the landlord,” he said.
Commenting on MPs' positions on tenants who expect pensions and benefits from the state in order to fulfill their obligations, he said that we can not continue to reproduce injustices based on the absence of the welfare state and the absence of social housing. Ms. Erotokritou stated that it should not be overlooked that the law applies to properties that are controlled with zero rent increase rates.
EDEK President Marinos Sizopoulos, after stating that he supports the bill, said that EDEK has submitted an amendment to regulations that specifically concern shop tenants who are trapped in projects and project delays, which reduce their income and their very survival.
Solidarity MP George Papadopoulos said the new law is socially fair. It is unfair for an owner who has a clear case to wait years to recover his property. He also said that the new law achieves the speedy administration of justice.
EDEK MP Linos Papagiannis said that the amendment submitted by ELAM will improve the text of the law as it included regulations that the EAC has for vulnerable groups and recipients of public aid.
Independent Movement MP Anna Theologou said the amendment she tabled was intended to protect groups of the population who are not responsible for delays, when their livelihood depends on state benefits and benefits. They should be able to prove to the Court that the reason for non-payment of rent due is the state's delay in paying fees, he added.
KYPE / Maria Fili
