Russian authorities in the occupied territories of Ukraine are beginning to pass laws on the nationalization of housing left by property owners, as reported by Vedomosti.
A corresponding law was adopted in the Luhansk People's Republic on March 27. "We are talking about apartments of those people who have left the territory of the LPR and do not intend to return here anymore," said regional parliament deputy Alexey Beletsky.
In a comment to Vedomosti, State Duma deputy Viktor Vodolatsky linked the need to nationalize housing in the occupied territories with "problems during communal emergencies." Special commissions will be responsible for identifying abandoned apartments and private houses.
First Deputy Chairman of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council Nikolai Pastushenko also announced plans to nationalize housing of people who have left the region, "those who are engaged in subversive activities."
According to Pastushenko, housing "will not be seized," and all decisions will be made exclusively through the courts. However, property owned by those "temporarily leaving due to hostilities to other regions of Russia or even abroad" will not fall under nationalization. It is unclear how authorities will determine those who have left the region "temporarily."
The deputy explained the transfer of housing to the state by stating that "communal enterprises suffer, as they do not receive payment for services."
The head of the LPR, Leonid Pasechnik, previously mentioned 22,000 apartments and houses where "no one lives." In the DPR, abandoned housing has already begun to be transferred to municipal ownership. Prime Minister of the DPR Yevgeny Solntsev announced more than 30,000 real estate properties, the nationalization of which will take "two to three years."
