Shura Council member Hamza Al-Sharif called for fairness in the expropriation of citizens’ private real estate, demanding that expropriation take place only after the citizen has received compensation commensurate with the expropriation, Al-Sharif emphasized the need for strict fairness in cases of real estate expropriation and the necessity for the owner to agree to the appraised value, express consent, or file an objection. During the Council session held yesterday, Monday, the member noted that delays in compensation payments can last for long periods, potentially up to two years or more.

Another member argued that those whose property is expropriated should be offered a price higher than the market rate, noting that those who sell their property of their own free will are not in the same position as those forced to sell at market price under the pretext of the public interest. In its recommendations, the Housing and Services Committee approved some of the amendments proposed by the government while recommending that others not be approved, emphasizing in its opinion that the simplicity of procedures and the speed with which the owner receives compensation are part of justice, and that fair compensation is the market value at the time of expropriation, noting that it is not fair for officials alone to assess the property’s value, and that excluding experts would constitute a significant imbalance in the fairness of the appraisal. The committee also made some amendments to certain articles of the regulation and revised some provisions, emphasizing that the regional Chamber of Commerce must nominate two real estate experts and that the rank of the government representative must not be lower than the eighth rank.