Atspausdinta iš e-seimas.lrs.lt

REPUBLIC OF LITHUANAIA

 

LAW ON LAND

 

26 April 1994 No. I-446

 

1. General Provisions

 

Article 1. Purpose of the Law

 

This Law  establishes the relations of ownership, management

and use of land in the Republic of Lithuania.

 

Relations pertaining  to land  shall be  regulated in such a

manner as  to the  create conditions  for the satisfaction of the

needs of  the population,  rational territorial  distribution and

development  of   all  branches   of  economy,   protection   and

improvement of  the environment, rational land use, protection of

the rights of ownership, management and use of land.

 

Article 2. Definitions

 

In this Law:

"Land"  means   the  basic   part  of  natural  environment,

comprising areas  of dry  land, water  and forest, located within

the territory  of the  Republic of Lithuania and characterised by

natural and  economic properties. In human activity, land is real

property, the  basic instrument  in agriculture and forestry, and

territorial basis  for  the  development  of  other  branches  of

economy and  for the  distribution of the elements of residential

areas and the system of infrastructure. The subject of regulation

in the  relations pertaining  to land  is the entire territory of

the Republic  of Lithuania,  including the  surface of the earth,

air space  and  internal  and  territorial  waters  required  for

rational use of land.

"Land plot"  means  a  portion  of  territory  having  fixed

boundaries and the proper purpose for which the land is used;

"Area of  used land"  means a  plot of  land or  two or more

plots of land connected by common agricultural activities the use

whereof by  a natural  or legal  person  has  been  legalised  in

accordance with the established procedure;

"Land holding"  means a plot of land or an area of used land

held by the right of private or state ownership;

"Lands" means  areas of  land differing  from other areas by

their  characteristic  natural  properties  or  peculiarities  of

economic use;

"Farming lands" means lands (arable land, orchards, meadows,

pastures) used  for or suitable for growing agricultural products

without applying additional land-improvement measures;

"Land user"  means owner of unleased privately-owned land or

a natural  or legal  person to whom, according to the established

procedure, state-owned  land has been leased or allotted for use,

or private land has been leased;

"Land servitudes"  means the obligations of the landowner or

the user of state-owned land to grant, according to the procedure

established by  law, other  persons permission to make restricted

use of a portion of land plot;

"State Land  Cadastre" means  a part  of  Lithuania's  State

Cadastre which comprises the entire data concerning the amount of

land, its  composition, value,  state of  economic use  and legal

ownership;

"State land-use planning" means the total system of measures

designed for  state management  of  the  stock  of  land  of  the

Republic  of  Lithuania  and  for  the  regulation  of  relations

pertaining to  land which  guarantee: 1) legal and organisational

conditions for  the use  of land  and economic and infrastructure

units pertaining to it as well as other natural resources for the

purposes of public benefit and general welfare of the nation; and

2) protection  of land ownership and land-use rights of the State

and its citizens;

"Taking of  land for  public needs"  means the buying out of

land from  the landowners  according to the procedure established

by law  or the  termination of  right to use state-owned land and

rescission of  the contract  for the  lease of  state-owned  land

after the  Government of  the Republic  of Lithuania  or a  local

government establishes  that the  land  is  required  for  public

needs;

 

"Agricultural enterprise"  means an enterprise the principal

activity whereof  is production of agricultural products for sale

and rendering  of services  to agriculture and which uses farming

land for the above activities;

 

"Farmer"  means   a  person  who  is  engaged  in  producing

agricultural products  for sale  using farming land for the above

activities.

 

Article 3. Ownership of Land

 

Ownership of  land means  the owner's right to hold, use and

dispose of  the land  possessed by  him.  When  implementing  his

rights the  landowner must  not violate the Constitution and laws

of the  Republic of  Lithuania or  rights and  freedoms of  other

persons.

 

All land  in the  Republic of Lithuania belongs by the right

of ownership  only to  the citizens  of the Republic of Lithuania

and the State.

 

According  to   the  procedure   and  under  the  conditions

established by  law, foreign states may possess land by the right

of ownership  for the  purpose of  establishing their  respective

diplomatic and consular institutions.

 

In the  cases provided  for in  this Law, land may belong to

several citizens or citizens and the State by the right of common

ownership.

 

Article 4. The State's Right of Exclusive Ownership

 

The  Republic  of  Lithuania  shall  own  by  the  right  of

exclusive ownership the land which the Government of the Republic

of Lithuania  has allotted according to the established procedure

under:

 

1) State roads and general-use railways;

 

2) Kursiu Nerija (Spit) National Park;

 

3) forests of State significance;

 

4) historical,  archaeological and cultural objects of State

significance. The  list of  such objects shall be approved by the

Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania;

 

5) internal water bodies of State significance; and

 

6) continental shelf of the territorial sea.

 

The land  owned by the Republic of Lithuania by the right of

exclusive ownership may not be acquired in private ownership. The

 

conditions  of   its  use   shall  be  established  by  laws  and

subordinate legislation.

 

Article 5. Stock of Land of the Republic of Lithuania

 

Private and  State-owned land  within the  territory of  the

Republic of  Lithuania constitutes  the  stock  of  land  of  the

Republic of Lithuania.

 

The stock of land of the Republic of Lithuania shall be used

taking  into   account   public   interests   and   environmental

requirements, and in compliance with:

 

1) laws  and special  conditions  of  land  and  forest  use

established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania; and

 

2) proper  purpose of  land use, business restrictions, land

servitudes and territorial management requirements established in

the land-use planning schemes prepared according to the procedure

set by  the Government  of the  Republic of  Lithuania and  other

documents of territorial planning.

 

According to  the proper  purpose of  land use, the stock of

land of the Republic of Lithuania consists of:

 

1) land designated for agricultural purposes;

 

2) land designated for forestry purposes;

 

3) land designated for conservation purposes; and

 

4) land designated for other purposes.

 

State land  which has  not been  allotted for  use or leased

shall constitute the stock of the unoccupied state land.

 

Land under  unprivatised water  bodies shall  constitute the

land of the state stock of waters.

 

Article 6. Right of Possession of State-owned Land

 

By the  decision  of  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania, the  right of  possession of State-owned land shall be

vested in  State  institutions,  local  governments,  forestries,

administrations   of   national   and   regional   parks,   State

institutions  and  State  enterprises  financed  from  the  State

budget.

 

The possessor  of State-owned  land shall  have  the  right,

without exceeding  the given  authority, to  use the  land or  to

lease the  land to  other natural and legal persons as well as to

adopt decisions  concerning the  allotment of  land  for  use  to

natural and legal persons.

 

Article 7. Rights of Owners of Land

 

The owner of land shall have the right to:

 

1) in accordance with the procedure established by law sell,

devise, donate as a gift, mortgage, exchange or lease the land or

its part,  or to  grant permission  to other  natural  and  legal

persons to temporarily use the land;

 

2) engage  in and permit other persons to engage on the land

lot in the business not prohibited under law;

 

3) establish land servitudes on his land plot;

 

4) upon  obtaining permission  according  to  the  procedure

established  by  law  and  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania, change the proper purpose of land use;

 

5) request  that the conditions and restrictions established

for the  use of  land, territorial management of land or business

as well as land servitudes be annulled or changed;

 

6) appeal  to court  or the  institution exercising  control

over the use of State-owned land concerning the violation of land

ownership rights  and to  receive  compensation  for  the  damage

caused to his business or property through the above violation;

 

7) use  the territory  of the private land plot for business

and other  activities without  violating the  established  proper

purpose of  land use,  special conditions of land and forest use,

business restrictions and land servitudes: to construct buildings

and facilities,  to carry  out land  reclamation works,  to build

roads, to  plant trees,  shrubs and  forest, to  build ponds  and

objects of infrastructure, to lay communications;

 

8) use  for the  needs of the farm (not for sale) the useful

properties of  the entrails of the earth, groundwater and surface

water, mineral  resources (with  the  exception  of  amber,  oil,

natural gas and quartz sand, the procedure of use, sale and lease

whereof is  established by  other  laws  and  standard  acts)  in

compliance with laws as well as the exploitation and conservation

requirements prescribed  for the  above useful  properties by the

Government of the Republic of Lithuania; and

 

9) dispose  of the  produce  grown  on  his  land  plot  and

unrestrictedly use income received from the plot.

 

The above  rights of  land owners  may  be  restricted  only

according to the procedure established under law.

 

Article 8. The Rights of Land Users

 

Tenants of  private and  State-owned land as well as natural

and legal  persons who have been granted the right to use land by

the Government  of the  Republic  of  Lithuania  or  institutions

authorised by it, shall have the right:

 

1) to  use the  land plot  territory for  their business and

other activities  in compliance  with the  proper purpose of land

use,  special   conditions  of  land  and  forest  use,  business

restrictions,  land  servitudes  and  conditions  established  in

contracts for  the lease  of land  or  documents  concerning  the

allotment for use of State-owned land;

 

2) users  of State-owned land - to establish land servitudes

on the land plot used by them;

 

3) to  use for  the needs  of their  farm (not for sale) the

useful properties  of the  entrails of the earth, groundwater and

surface water,  mineral resources  (with the  exception of amber,

oil, natural  gas and  quartz sand),  unless the contract for the

lease of land or the documents concerning the allotment of State-

owned land  for use  establish otherwise, in compliance with laws

and with the requirements for their exploitation and conservation

prescribed by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania; and

 

4) dispose  of the  produce grown  on their  land  plot  and

unrestrictedly use  income received  from  the  lot,  unless  the

contract for the lease of land provides otherwise.

 

Article 9. Duties of Land Users

 

Land users must:

 

1) use land according to its proper purpose of use;

 

2) comply with the special conditions of land and forest use

established for  the land  plot, with  the conditions restricting

construction works  and other  activities on  the plot,  with the

land servitudes  as well  as with  other conditions  of land  use

established in  the documents  on allotting  State-owned land for

use or in the land lease contract;

 

3) use  the land  rationally and  preserve agricultural  and

recreational land,  forest, water  bodies, mineral  resources and

other natural  resources  the  exploitation  of  which  has  been

permitted as well as the landscape properties;

 

4) implement  measures  provided  by  laws  and  subordinate

legislation for  the protection  of land, forest and water bodies

from pollution,  for the  protection of soil of farming land from

erosion and exhaustion, for environmental protection so as to put

a stop to the deterioration of the ecological situation;

 

5) comply  with the  requirements established for the use of

land reclamation  equipment, road  maintenance and  exploitation,

forest management, protection, use and reforestation;

 

6)  when  carrying  out  construction  work  and  exploiting

mineral resources,  comply with  the requirements  prescribed  by

laws and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania with the aim

of ensuring  the preservation  of the  fertile layer  of soil and

recultivating damaged soil;

 

7) during  the conduct  of economic  and other activities on

the land plots used by them, refrain from violating the interests

of the neighbouring land users and residents;

 

8) permit  prospecting for  mineral resources  and works  of

land survey  after the  parties have  agreed on  the duration  of

prospecting, on  plot boundaries,  the time  period of  work  and

compensation of  damage, refrain from destroying and damaging the

laid up boreholes and facilities used for research purposes; and

 

9) permit  the erection  of  geodetic,  geophysic  signs  in

buildings, structures and on land, and protect them.

 

Article 10. Conditions of Land Use and Business Restrictions

 

Special conditions  of land  and forest use shall consist of

the regulations  and requirements  approved  in  the  established

manner for:

 

1) the use of land and forest in the protected territories;

 

2) the  way of  using shrubbery,  marshes, stony land, other

unused land  as well  as natural  meadows and  pasture  land  and

transforming said  areas into lands which could be used for other

purposes;

 

3)  the   exploitation  and   protection   of   recreational

territories and  objects, natural, historical, archaeological and

cultural  objects,   their  protective   zones,  other   valuable

landscape objects and separate forest areas;

4) the exploitation and protection of state geodetic points;

5) the  preservation of  boreholes  for  the  monitoring  of

subterranean  waters,  laid  up  oil  wells  and  bench-marks  of

prospected deposits; and

6) compliance  with the  conditions of  land and  forest use

established by other laws.

 

Business  restrictions   provided  for  in  the  territorial

planning documents  must be approved in the established manner by

town (district) local governments.

 

Land plots  shall be  transferred or leased without changing

the established conditions of their use.

 

Legal action  shall be  taken against  land users who do not

comply with  the established  conditions of land use and business

restrictions and  they must  compensate property  owners for  the

losses incurred  by them  as well  as compensating for the damage

inflicted on the environment and society.

 

Article 11. Land servitudes

 

All servitudes which affect lands shall be prescribed:

 

1) by law;

 

2) on  the decision  of the  Government of  the Republic  of

Lithuania or town (district) local government taking into account

public needs; or

 

3) on  the mutual  agreement between  landowners or users of

state land  and natural and legal persons, effected by concluding

a written agreement. Agreements which establish the obligation of

a private  land owner  to permit other persons to use the portion

of land  owned by  him by ownership right shall be certified by a

notary.

 

Land servitudes  shall be recorded in the conditions set for

the  use   of  land  plots  and  shall  be  registered  with  the

institutions which manage the State Land Cadastre.

 

Land owners  and other  users may  be  compensated  for  the

losses incurred  by them  by reason  of the prescribed servitudes

(with the  exception of  compensations for  private  land  owners

because of  servitudes established  pursuant to  item 3 of Par. 3

hereof) in  the manner  established  by  the  Government  of  the

Republic of Lithuania with the funds of the interested persons or

state funds.   For  the losses  incurred by  them because  of the

servitudes established  by  mutual  agreement  between  the  land

owners and  natural and  legal persons owners of private land may

be compensated with the funds of the interested persons as agreed

between the parties.

 

Land  servitudes  established  according  to  the  procedure

specified in  items 1 and 2 of Par. 1 hereof shall be transferred

to other persons together with the title to the land plot.

 

Land servitudes shall be abolished in the following manner:

 

1) by law, if land servitudes were established by law;

 

2)  Government   of  the   Republic  of  Lithuania  or  town

(district)  local   governments  -   if  land   servitudes   were

established by the resolution of the above institutions; or

 

3) by  agreement between the parties or by court decision if

land servitudes were established by mutual agreement between land

owners or users of state land and natural and legal persons.

 

Article 12. Legal Registration of Land

 

Land plots,  land holdings  and other  areas of used land as

well  as   their  legal  status  shall  be  registered  with  the

institutions managing  the State  Land Cadastre  according to the

procedure established  by law  and the Government of the Republic

of Lithuania.

 

Records of  the legal  registration of land shall be revised

in the following cases:

 

1) upon the change of the owner of the land plot;

 

2) if the land plot is increased or reduced in size;

 

3) upon  dividing the  land plot among the co-owners or upon

allotting to the co-owners a portion of the plot owned in common;

 

4) upon  redividing the  area of  the plot  of land owned in

common between  the co-owners or upon changing in another way the

portions of co-owners;

 

5) upon joining another plot of land [to the one recorded];

 

6) upon leasing or in any other way transferring the plot of

land for a period of at least 3 years; and

 

7) if  the special  conditions  of  land  use  and  business

restrictions or  other characteristic  properties recorded in the

land cadastre are changed.   

 

The institutions  which manage  the State  Land Cadastre may

present a substantiated refusal to register land if the documents

which confirm  the right  to the  land are not in compliance with

the standard  acts. Disputes  concerning the registration of land

shall be settled by court.

 

Documents concerning  the legal  registration of  a plot  of

land issued  by the institution which manages the town (district)

land  cadastre  shall  constitute  the  basic  state  information

concerning the  right of land ownership and land use and no other

documents shall be taken as a substitute for said documents.

 

II. TRANSACTIONS CONCERNING LAND

 

 

Article 13. Transactions Concerning Land

 

Transactions concerning land shall be actions of natural and

legal persons  whereby it  is being  sought to  create, alter  or

abolish the  rights of  land ownership,  land holding or land use

together with the obligations pertaining thereto.

 

Legal norms  of this  Law, the  Civil Code and other laws of

the  Republic  of  Lithuania  shall  apply  to  the  transactions

concerning land.  In the event of collision of laws, the norms of

this Law shall apply.

 

Article 14. The Form of Transactions Concerning Land

 

 

Transactions concerning  land shall be concluded in writing.

Transactions concerning  private land (with the exception of land

lease and  land use  contracts) must  be certified by a notary. A

plan of  the land  plot (object  of transaction)  approved by the

State Land-use  Agency shall constitute an obligatory part of any

transaction concerning land.

 

All transactions  concerning land  shall be  within 3 months

registered with the institutions managing the State Land Cadastre

in accordance with the procedure established by law.

 

Citizens who  fail to  register the  acquired plot  of  land

according to  the established  procedure shall  have no  right to

dispose of it.

 

Article 15. Object and Types of Land Transactions

 

The object  of a transaction concerning land shall be a plot

of land  registered in  accordance with the established procedure

with the  institution managing  the  State  Land  Cadastre  or  a

portion of such plot of land held in common ownership.

 

The following  transactions may  be concluded  in respect of

land in accordance with the procedure established by law:

 

1) sale  of plots  of state  land  into  private  ownership,

gratuitous transfer  thereof into  private ownership, or exchange

thereof for  private land, or lease or use thereof, or agreements

concerning servitudes; and

 

2) purchase  and sale  of private plots of land, or transfer

thereof as  a gift,  or exchange, lease, use or mortgage thereof,

or agreements concerning servitudes.

 

Article 16. Contents and Terms and Conditions of the

Agreement on the Transfer of Land 

 

The following  must be  specified in  the agreement  on  the

transfer of land:

 

1) parties  to the  agreement (names,  surnames, the name of

the legal person, addresses, personal codes);

 

2) the  object of  the land  transaction and  the basic data

from the  Land Cadastre which characterise the plot of land which

is to be transferred;

 

3) records  testifying to  the land owner's will to transfer

the plot of land specified in the agreement;

 

4) the  price (value)  of the  plot of  land which  is to be

transferred;

 

5)  dates   of  payment   if  the  land  is  being  sold  by

installments; and

 

6)  land  servitudes,  conditions  of  land  use  and  other

restrictions established  for the  plot of  land which  is to  be

transferred.

 

The following  conditions  restricting  the  possession  and

disposal of  the plot  of land  may be  established in  the  land

transfer agreement:

 

1) the  land is to be retained for life (the land may not be

transferred to  a third  person during  the period of validity of

the agreement);

 

2) the period during which the proper purpose of land use is

not to  be changed  is for  life of  the person  transferring the

land, but not in excess of 10 years; or

 

3) the  land is  not to be transferred to a third person for

the period limited to the life of the person transferring it, but

not in excess of 10 years, with the person who transfers the land

being entitled  to buy  the land  back within  the period  at the

price fixed in the agreement.

 

In the  cases where  the land  owner transfers a part of the

land plot,  said part  must be separated from the entire plot and

registered as  a separate plot of land with the institution which

manages the  State Land Cadastre. The boundaries of the land plot

which is  separated  shall  be  formed  in  compliance  with  the

requirements set forth in Article 18 of this Law.

 

Article 17. Right of Ownership of Private Land

 

The following  land shall belong to citizens of the Republic

of Lithuania:

 

1) land  which has  been returned or received into ownership

without payment  pursuant  to  the  "Law  on  the  Procedure  and

Conditions  for  the  Restoration  of  Ownership  Rights  to  the

Existing Real Property" of the Republic of Lithuania;

 

2) land which has been acquired from the state under the Law

on Land Reform and this Law; and

 

3) land  which has  been acquired  from  other  citizens  in

accordance with  the procedure  established by law under the land

transfer agreements,  as well  as land which has been received by

inheritance as a matter of law or by will.

 

The rights  of  the  land  owners  shall  be  protected  and

defended by  the State. Private land may be taken from the owners

only in  accordance with  the procedure  established in  this and

other  laws   when  required   for   public   needs   (adequately

compensating for the taken land) and in the cases provided for in

Article 33 of this Law.

 

Water bodies  and forest,  trees  and  shrubbery,  perennial

planting stock  and land-reclamation  facilities belonging to the

owner of private land by ownership right and situated on the plot

of land  shall also  pass to  the  citizens  by  ownership  right

together with the acquired land.

 

Article 18. Conditions of Transferring and Dividing Private

Land

 

A plot  of private land may be transferred to other citizens

provided that  they take over the special conditions of land use,

business restrictions  and land  servitudes established  for  the

owner.

 

If the  owner retains  the title to buildings, facilities or

any other  real  property  on  the  transferred  plots  of  land,

servitudes  shall   be  established   for  his   benefit  on  the

transferred plots  of land (to have right of access to facilities

owned by  ownership right,  to supply  electricity, water, to lay

communications, etc.)

 

Private  land  shall  be  transferred  on  mutual  agreement

between the parties.

 

Citizens shall  have priority right to purchase at the price

fixed by  the seller  the land  which is  under the buildings and

facilities belonging  to them  by ownership  right as well as the

land required for servicing the above facilities.

 

When land held in private ownership in national and regional

parks is  being sold,  the state  shall have  priority  right  to

purchase the  land under equal conditions and at the price agreed

by the seller and the buyer.

 

The state  shall have priority right to purchase under equal

conditions and  at the  price agreed by the seller and the buyer,

for the  needs of  municipal economy,  common residential  needs,

public construction  and recreation,  the land  held  in  private

ownership in  towns, urban-type and rural settlements if the land

is to  be assigned  for the  above purposes under the territorial

planning documents.

 

For economic-commercial  activities land  may be acquired by

citizens  who   have  a  licence  to  engage  in  the  activities

registered in accordance with the procedure established by law.

 

The land  of a  bankrupt owner shall be sold and acquired in

the manner established by law and at market price.

 

Plots of  land designated  for agricultural purposes as well

as forest  tracts may  be divided  or  portions  thereof  may  be

separated for  the purpose  of transferring  or leasing  the land

only upon  coordination thereof  with the  land-use plan  or  any

other  territorial   planning  document   approved  by  the  town

(district) local government.

 

A plot of private land may be divided into two or more plots

planned  to   be  used  for  residential,  public  and  economic-

commercial construction  only provided  that the  construction is

included in the territorial planning documents and the prescribed

size of the plot as well as the density and type of buildings are

adhered to.

 

Article 19. Inheriting Private Land

 

Private land  shall be  inherited by  operation of law or by

will in accordance with the procedure established in this Law and

the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

Only a  plot of land registered in the established manner or

a part  of such  a plot held in common ownership may be an object

of inheritance.

 

An inherited  plot of  land  must  be  registered  with  the

institution managing  the State  Land Cadastre within 3 months of

the day  of issue  of the  certificate testifying to the right to

inheritance. If  a plot  of land is inherited by several persons,

the plot  shall be  registered in the name of all the persons who

receive the  inheritance, specifying  their respective  shares in

the common property.

 

If land  is inherited  not by  a citizen  of the Republic of

Lithuania but  by other  natural or legal persons of the Republic

of Lithuania or foreign states, they shall acquire the right only

to the  sum of money received from the sale of the inherited plot

of land. The land plot shall be at the heir's request sold by the

district (town) local government either to the buyer - citizen of

the Republic  of Lithuania named by him or by auction. The sum of

money received  from the  sale of  the land  minus  the  sale  or

auction expenses  shall be  recorded in  the  issued  certificate

testifying to the right of inheritance.

 

Article 20. Mortgage of Private Land

 

Private land shall be mortgaged in the manner established by

law. When  a portion  of land  is being  mortgaged,  it  must  be

registered as  a separate plot of land with the institution which

manages the State Land Cadastre.

 

Land plot mortgage agreements shall be concluded in writing,

shall be  certified by  a notary and shall be registered with the

institutions managing  the State Land Cadastre within 3 months of

the day of their approval.

 

The mortgaged  land shall  be at  the disposal  of the  land

owner. Land  shall not  be transferred  into the ownership of the

mortgagee.

 

When dividing  the mortgaged  plot of land among the persons

possessing it by the right of common ownership or when separating

it from the common plot of land, each part shall be burdened with

liabilities under  the mortgage  agreement in  proportion to  the

value of the plot, unless the co-owners decide otherwise.  

 

Mortgaged land  plots may  be  joined  into  one  after  the

creditors agree  upon the  order of succession of satisfaction of

claims under the mortgage agreement. Upon joining together two or

more land  plots of  which  only  one  is  mortgaged,  after  the

registration of  the joining  of land  plots the  mortgage  shall

cover all the land.     

 

Mortgaged land  may be  transferred only with the consent of

the citizen who is the transferee. In this case the citizen shall

take over  all the  former land  owner's  obligations  under  the

mortgage agreements.

 

In the  event that  the owner of the mortgaged land fails to

satisfy the liability by the date specified in the agreement, and

after he  receives a notice from the mortgage office stating that

in case  of failure  to repay  the debt  the land will be sold by

auction, the  land may  not be  transferred to  other persons  or

mortgaged or  leased or  burdened with  any other restrictions of

the rights to dispose of or to use the land.

 

 

 

III. State Ownership of Land

 

 

Article 21. Land in the Ownership of the State

 

The following  land belongs  to the State of Lithuania: land

specified in Article 4 of this Law, land donated as a gift to the

State and  land inherited  by the State, and other land which has

been taken,  bought out  or in  any other  way acquired  into the

ownership of the State.

 

The land  subject to be returned in accordance with the "Law

on the  Procedure and Conditions for the Restoration of Ownership

Rights  to  the  Existing  Real  Property"  of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania may  be, prior  to its  return  in  kind  into  private

 

ownership, be  leased by  the State  in the manner established in

the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Lease of Land.

 

State-owned land  may be  used by  natural and legal persons

provided that  said land  has been  allotted for use or leased by

the institutions  specified  in  Article  23  of  this  Law.  The

decisions of  the above institutions to allot land for use or the

agreements for  the lease of state land shall be concluded taking

into account  the proper  purpose of land use as projected in the

territorial planning  documents, the  area of  the available land

and the presented substantiation of the need of land and business

activities.

 

Article 22. Allotment of State Land for Use; Leasing of

State Land

 

State  land   shall  be  allotted  for  use  either  for  an

indefinite  or   for  a   definite  period  to  institutions  and

organisations  financed  with  the  State  budget  funds  without

concluding any  agreements for  the lease of state land according

to the procedure established by the Government of the Republic of

Lithuania.

 

The procedure  for allotting  land to be used for facilities

established  by   the  Ministry  of  National  Defence  shall  be

established by  laws  and  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania.

 

The procedure for leasing state land shall be established by

laws and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

Article 23. Institutions having the Right to Lease or Allot

for Use State Land

 

The right to use state land shall be granted by:

 

1) the Government of the Republic of Lithuania; and

 

2) town (district) boards.

 

The town  (district) boards  shall grant  the right  to  use

plots of  land of  such size and in such cases as are established

by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

State land  shall be leased in accordance with the procedure

established by  the Law  on Land  Lease and the Government of the

Republic  of   Lithuania  by   town  (district)   boards,   other

institutions which  perform the  functions of  the owner of state

land or which have the rights to possess said land and (when land

is subleased) by the users of state land.

 

Article 24. Transfer of State Land into Private Ownership

 

State land  shall be  sold or  in any  other way transferred

into private  ownership by  town (district)  boards in accordance

with the  procedure established  by law and the Government of the

Republic of Lithuania.

 

 

IV. Common Ownership of Land

 

 

Article 25. The Concept and Types of Common Ownership of

Land

 

 

A plot  of land  may belong by the right of common ownership

to two  or more  citizens of  the Republic of Lithuania or to the

State and one or several citizens.

 

There may  be two  types of  common ownership  of a  plot of

land: common  ownership with  the owned  parts being  specified -

part  ownership,  and  common  ownership  with  the  parts  being

undivided - joint ownership.

 

A plot  of land  held by  the right of common part ownership

shall be  registered with the state institutions which manage the

State  Land  Cadastre,  listing  the  co-owners,  specifying  the

location of  the common  plot of land and the area and portion of

value of  the land plot which belongs to each co-owner, whereas a

plot of  land held  by the  right of  joint  ownership  shall  be

registered by  stating the  owners in common, the location of the

common plot of land as well as its total area and value.

 

Common ownership  shall be  considered as signifying divided

interest (part ownership) unless the law established otherwise.

 

Article 26. Acquisition and Holding of Land by the Right of

Common Part Ownership when Part Owners are

Citizens

 

When part  owners are two or several citizens, land shall be

acquired by  the right  of common  part ownership or the acquired

land shall  be joined  and held  in accordance with the procedure

established in  this Law and in the Civil Code of the Republic of

Lithuania.

 

When  land   is  purchased  by  the  right  of  common  part

ownership, the  shares of  the land  of the  part owners shall be

established by  their mutual  agreement and  shall be recorded in

the land  purchase-sale contract specifying the size and value of

their respective shares.

 

On the  agreement of owners of plots of private land, two or

more plots  may be joined into one plot of land held by the right

of common  part ownership.  The plots  of land shall be joined by

concluding a  written agreement  which shall  be certified  by  a

notary  and   shall  be  within  3  months  registered  with  the

institutions which manage the State Land Cadastre.

 

Article 27. Acquisition and Holding of Land by the Right of

Common Part Ownership when Part Owners are the

State and One or Several Citizens

 

When part  owners are the State and one or several citizens,

land shall  be acquired  and held  by the  right of  common  part

ownership in  accordance with  the procedure  established by this

Law and by the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

Common part  ownership of  land of  the State  and  citizens

shall be  formed when  citizens acquire  from the State a part of

the land  plot of  the house  holding. An  agreement between  the

State and  other part owners shall be required for holding, using

and disposing of said plot of land only in the cases specified in

Article 29  of this Law, or when the jointly held plot of land is

being redivided among the part owners, or upon changing the areas

of land  used by them and the conditions of use. In this case the

State shall be represented by a town (district) local government.

 

Article 28. Acquiring and Holding Land by the Right of

Common Joint Ownership

 

Land may  belong by the right of common joint ownership only

to citizens  of the  Republic of  Lithuania. It shall be acquired

and possessed  in accordance  with the  procedure established  by

this Law, the Civil Code, and the Marriage and Family Code of the

Republic of Lithuania.

 

Article 29. Termination of the Holding of Land by the

Right of Common Part Ownership and

Separating Land from the Plot of Land Held

in Common

Upon mutual  agreement the  part owners of the plot of land,

held by  the right of common part ownership, shall have the right

to terminate  the holding of the land by the right of common part

ownership, and  each co-owner  shall be  entitled to  request the

separation of his share.

A plot  of land  held by  the right of common part ownership

may be  divided among  the part owners or shares of the land area

may be  divided off  - in  kind to  one or several part owners in

accordance with  the requirements set forth in Article 18 of this

Law.

The  division of  the land plot held by the right of common

part ownership  as well as the separation of the co-owner's share

from the  common plot  of land  shall be  executed by  a  written

agreement which  shall be  certified by  a notary  and  shall  be

within 3 months registered with the institution which manages the

State Land Cadastre. When a land plot is divided off in kind, the

plan of the plot of land which is divided off must be appended to

the agreement.

 

Article 30. Powers of the State in Regulating

Relations Pertaining to Land

 

The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania shall:

pass  and   revise  laws  on  the  regulation  of  relations

pertaining to land.

The Government of the Republic of Lithuania shall:

1) issue  and  revise,  in  accordance  with  the  procedure

established by  law, standard  acts on  the  regulation  of  such

issues as the ownership, holding, use of land and other issues of

regulation of relations pertaining to land;

2) work  out and  implement programmes  for the use of land,

optimisation of territories and land improvement;

3) prepare  and approve  the master  plan of the territorial

planning of  the Republic of Lithuania, approve other territorial

planning documents of national significance;

4) plan  and finance  land-use  planning,  forest-management

works and works related to the management of the land cadastre;

5) establish the special condition for land and forest use;

6) settle  the issues concerning the taking and allotment of

land, the  changing of  the proper  purpose of land use and other

issues related  to the  management of the stock of land, provided

that  they   are  not   assigned  within   the  powers  of  local

governments; and

7) prescribe  business restrictions  and conditions  of land

use in the allotted areas of land.

 

The Ministry  of Agriculture  or the  institution  specially

authorised by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania to hold

the stock of state land shall:

 

1) direct  the institutions  and enterprises which carry out

the works of the State Land Cadastre and state land-use planning;

 

2) prepare  material for  the Government  of the Republic of

Lithuania required  for the  taking  of  land  or  for  allotment

thereof for public needs, for changing the proper purpose of land

use and for settling other issues of land-use planning; and

 

3) organise state control of land use.

 

On their respective territories local governments shall:

 

1) implement  the Law  on Land  and  the  decisions  of  the

Government of  the  Republic  of  Lithuania  and  its  authorised

institutions on the use of land;

 

2) adopt  decisions to  transfer into  private ownership  or

lease state land;

 

3) settle issues concerning the taking or allotment of land,

the changing  of the proper purpose of land use in the event that

the area  of the allotted land does not exceed 1 hectare in towns

and urban-type settlements and 10 hectares in rural areas and if,

in the  cases specified  by the  Government of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania, the  taking or  allotment of  said land  has not  been

assigned to  the competence  of the Government of the Republic of

Lithuania;

 

4) control the taking and allotment of land;

 

5) approve and implement land use planning schemes and plans

as well as other territorial planning documents which provide for

the restrictions  of areas of used land and land holdings as well

as  changes   of  proper   purpose  of   land  use  and  business

restrictions on the territory of the local government;

 

6) in  accordance with  the  procedure  established  by  the

Government of  the Republic  of Lithuania establish conditions of

land use, land servitudes and business restrictions;

 

7) carry  out, in  accordance with the procedure established

by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, works of the Land

Cadastre and the Cadastre of other Real Property which conditions

the use of land;   

 

8) carry out, in accordance with the regulations approved by

the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, state control of the

use of land; and

 

9) perform  other actions  provided by  law  concerning  the

regulation of  the  state  holding  of  the  stock  of  land  and

regulation of land use.

 

Article 31. Procedure for Establishing and Changing the

Proper Purpose of Land Use

 

Land users  who wish to use it for a purpose other than that

established during  the acquisition  of land  or the  leasing  or

allotment thereof  for use  must  receive  a  permission  of  the

Government of the Republic of Lithuania or of the town (district)

local government.

 

The proper  purpose of  land use shall be established by the

documents of  territorial planning:  plans  of  local  government

territorial management,  master plans and detailed plans of towns

and settlements,  special-purpose territorial plans, land-use and

forest-management plans.

 

The proper  purpose of  land use  shall  be  established  or

changed  pursuant  to  the  documents  of  territorial  planning.

Decisions on  the establishment or changing of the proper purpose

of use of a plot of land shall be adopted by :

 

1) town  (district) board  if the  area of  the plot of land

does not exceed 1 hectare in towns and urban-type settlements and

10  hectares   in  rural   areas,  provided  that  in  the  cases

established by  the Government  of the  Republic of Lithuania the

allotment of  said plots of land has not been assigned within the

powers of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, as well as

in the cases when the plots are larger in size, upon coordination

thereof with  the interested  ministries in  accordance with  the

procedure established  by  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania; and

 

2) the  Government of  the Republic  of Lithuania  in  other

cases and on the recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture.

 

When the purpose of land use is being changed, the principal

conditions for  the change  of the proper purpose of land use and

the  compensation   of  losses   inflicted  by   the  change   to

agricultural production  and forest economy shall be specified in

the decision  in the  manner established by the Government of the

Republic of  Lithuania. A decision concerning the changing of the

proper purpose  of use  of a  forest tract  land shall be adopted

only on  coordination with  the  Ministry  of  Forestry  and  the

Department of Environmental Protection.

 

Records in  the town  (district) register  of land  shall be

revised pursuant to the adopted decision.

 

The proper  purpose  of  land  use  in  the  territories  of

preserves, national  and regional  parks shall be changed only in

accordance with  the approved  plans of  management of  preserved

territories or upon receiving the permission of the Department of

Environmental protection.

 

Article 32. Taking of Land for Public Needs

 

The land  may be  taken from  land owners  and the  users of

state-owned land only in the exceptional cases by the decision of

the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or a local government

of a town (district) when land is needed:

1) for national defence;

2) for state airports, ports, and their facilities;

3) for  the construction  of state railways, state roads and

pipe lines, high voltage transmission lines;

4) for  the  constructions  of  national  significance,  the

development of  urban and  rural infrastructure,  common needs of

the population, public construction and recreation;

5) for  the exploitation  of mineral resources prospected at

the expense of the state;

6) for  fixing points  of state  geodetic,  gravimetric  and

astronomic networks;

7) for the purposes of protecting natural, archeological and

historic buildings and areas;

8)  for  the  needs  and  common  (  public)  use  by  local

governments, if it is provided for in the detailed plans of towns

and settlements  and land  use plans  prepared according  to  the

established procedure.

 

Land plots  shall be taken from the owners of land by buying

them out at the official land market price of that locality or by

giving into their ownership other plots of land of equal value in

another locality  in accordance with the procedure established by

the laws  and  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of  Lithuania.

Provided the  owner of  land does  not agree with the decision of

the state  agency that  the land would be taken for public needs,

or with  the method of buying out land and/ or the offered price,

this decision  may be  appealed against to court within one month

from the adoption of such decision.

 

In the  cases  not  specified  in  Par.1  hereof,  the  land

necessary for  state enterprises,  offices and  organisations, as

well as  for other  needs of  the State and the population may be

bought out  from the land owners at the price and under the terms

and conditions  agreed upon  by a  local  government  of  a  town

(district) and the land owner.

 

If the  land allotted  for use or leased state land is taken

for public needs specified in Par.1 hereof, the right to use land

or  the   lease  shall  terminate  prior  to  the  expiration  in

accordance  with   the  procedure  established  by  laws  or  the

Government of  the Republic of Lithuania and the tenants of state

land and  other users thereof shall be compensated for all losses

relative thereto.

 

If leased  private land  is taken for public needs, the land

lease contract shall be terminated prior to the expiration of its

term and  the owner  of land  shall compensate the tenant for all

losses relative thereto.

 

Article 33.  Taking of Land into the Stock of Unoccupied

State Land

 

The land  shall be taken from the land owners into the stock

of the unoccupied state land provided:

 

1) they  renounce the  right of  ownership of their own free

will to the benefit of the State;

 

2) the  land owner  dies and there are neither beneficiaries

nor legitimate heirs;

 

3) the  right of  the ownership of land is terminated by the

decision of the court to transfer land to the State.

 

The land  shall be  taken into  the stock  of the unoccupied

state land  from the users of state land who have concluded lease

contracts provided:

 

1) they decline of their own free will to use the land given

to them for use or held by them on lease;

 

2) the  term for which the land has been allotted for use or

the lease term expires and the land lease is not extended;

 

3) the  land  lease  or  the  right  to  use  is  terminated

according to  the procedure  established by  laws  prior  to  the

expiration of the term.

 

The land  shall be  taken into the stock of unoccupied state

land according  to the procedure established by the Government of

the Republic of Lithuania.

 

Article 34. Protection of the Right to Ownership and Use of

Land

 

The State  shall protect  the rights of ownership and use of

land as  well as  the interests of the population of the Republic

of Lithuania,  which may  be affected  by the  activities of  the

users of land.

 

Sanctions established  by laws  shall be  applied to persons

who  have  committed  trespass  to  land  or  by  their  business

activities in the land used by them caused harm to the legitimate

interests  of  other  owners  of  private  land,  the  State  and

individuals, as well as have violated environmental requirements.

 

State institutions,  other natural and legal persons through

the fault  of which landowners could not use, hold and dispose of

land, and the land users could not use it for its proper purpose,

must indemnify losses incurred by landowners or land users.

 

Natural and  legal persons  the activities  of which carried

out on  the land  used by  them caused  harm to  the interests of

other land  users or  inhabitants and have breached environmental

requirements, must indemnify damages caused by these violations.

 

V. The Land Designated for Agricultural Purposes

 

 

Article 35. The Land Designated for Agricultural Purposes

and the Management of its Territory

 

The land designated for agricultural purposes shall comprise

the plots  of land  used  or  allotted  for  the  functioning  of

agricultural enterprises  and farms  and for  other  agricultural

activities, including  agricultural land,  the land  occupied  by

dwelling houses  and  farm  buildings,  yards,  roads,  the  land

suitable to be transformed into agricultural land and other lands

lying within the boundaries of these plots.

 

The territory  of land  designated for agricultural purposes

shall be  managed according land- use plans prepared and approved

by a  local government  of a town (district), taking into account

the interests  of landowners,  land users  and of the public: the

boundaries of  the existing  land holdings  shall be revised; new

land  holdings   shall  be   formed;  farmsteads  and  production

facilities shall  be built,  roads with hard cover shall be laid;

ponds shall  be made;  forest shall  be planted; forests, marshes

and shrubbery shall be transformed into agricultural land.

 

The  procedure   for  assigning  forests  lying  within  the

boundaries of  lands designated  for agricultural purposes to the

land designated  for forestry  purposes and the procedure for the

use of  these forests  shall be  established by the Government of

the Republic of Lithuania.

 

Upon the  approval of  comprehensive land- use plans of land

reform, the maximum size of agricultural land acquired by persons

into private  ownership for the expansion of farmer's farm or the

establishment of  new farmer's  farm or  ( when  said persons are

members of  agricultural  enterprises)  for  common  agricultural

activities (  when the  acquired land  shall be  leased to  these

agricultural  enterprises),  shall  be  established  by  a  local

government of  town  (district)  according  to  land-  use  plans

prepared in  the established manner or according to the land- use

plan of an administrative territory.

 

The  maximum   size  of  land  designated  for  agricultural

purposes, which  is being  taken on  lease for  the expansion  of

farmer's farm  or for  agricultural enterprise for the period not

shorter than  3 years  shall not  be limited if the boundaries of

the land  plots taken  on  lease  and  the  management  of  their

territory is  coordinated with  the land- use plans approved by a

local government of town (district).

 

The  maximum   size  of  land  designated  for  agricultural

purposes, which  is being  acquired or  taken on  lease for other

agricultural activities,  shall be  established by the Government

of the Republic of Lithuania.     

 

Article 36. Land Designated for Agricultural Purposes Used

by Agricultural Enterprises

 

Agricultural  state   enterprises  and   state  joint  stock

enterprises shall use public or private land held on lease.

 

Other agricultural  enterprises shall use private land taken

on lease, allotted to them according to the procedure established

by the Law on the Procedure and Conditions for the Restoration of

Ownership Rights  to the  Existing Real  Property and  the leased

land that  is being purchased for public needs, as well as leased

unoccupied land belonging to the stock of state land.

 

The lands  of agricultural  enterprises shall be managed and

used according to the land-use plans.

 

Article 37. Farmer's Farm Land    

 

Land holdings  acquired into  private ownership  or taken on

lease for  more than  3 years  period and registered with a local

government of town (district) as a farmer's farm according to the

procedure established  by the  Ministry of  Agriculture shall  be

attributed to the farmer's farm land.

 

The farmer's  farm shall  be  registered  on  the  basis  of

information furnished  by the  interested person  and the  agency

operating State Land Cadastre provided:

 

1) the  person in whose name the farm is being registered is

recognised as  prepared to  engage in  farming according  to  the

procedure  established   by  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture.  The

requirement of  the preparedness  to engage  in farming shall not

apply to the person who inherits the farmer's farm, as well as to

the farmer's  spouse and  children to whom the farmer's farm land

is conveyed;

 

2) the  land holding  ( with the exception of land leased to

other persons) comprises not less than 3 hectares of farming land

or its user specialises in market plant- growing -- not less than

0.3 hectares of farming land;     

 

3) the person in whose name the farm is being registered:

 

lives or  is getting  established   himself  in  a  farmer's

farmstead;

 

lives in  the place other than the farmer's farm is located,

but has  the possibility  to  organise  independent  agricultural

activities.

 

The farmer's  farm land may comprise the private land of the

members  of   his  family:  spouses,  parents  (foster  parents),

children (adopted  children) as  well  as  the  private  land  of

brothers or sisters living on the same farm -- joined for holding

it by  the right of common ownership or given into possession for

the use by one of theses persons.

 

Article 38. Other Land Designated for Agricultural Purposes

 

The land  designated for  agricultural purposes which is not

attributed to  the farmer's  farm according  to  the  established

procedure or  is not leased to agricultural enterprises, shall be

considered as  other land  designated for  agricultural purposes.

Its users may be:

1) persons who have acquired into private ownership or taken

on lease private plots of agricultural land for the production of

agricultural produce;

 

2) persons  to  whom  state  land  was  allotted  for  their

personal farm, office lot, gardening and vegetable growing;

 

3) research  and educational  establishments, forestries and

other offices  and organisations  specified in Article 22 of this

law, which  use state  plots of  land allotted  to them  for  the

production of agricultural produce;

 

4) other  natural and  legal persons who have taken the land

on lease  from  the  stock  of  unoccupied  state  land  for  the

production of agricultural produce.

 

Article 39. Protection of Land Designated for Agricultural

Purposes

 

State plots  of land  comprising agricultural land and other

used lands  which due  to the features of soil are suitable to be

transformed into  agricultural land,  shall be  sold, allotted or

leased primarily for agricultural activities.

 

When  using   private  and   state   land   designated   for

agricultural  purposes,  agricultural  lands  must  be  protected

against the  impoverishment of  soil,  wind  and  water  erosion,

overgrowing with  shrubs and forest, turning into swamps or other

deterioration of  properties. While carrying out constructions or

exploiting natural  resources, fertile  layer of soil must not be

destroyed and  must be  used for  the improvement of agricultural

land whereas damaged land must be recultivated.

 

The  land   designated  for  agricultural  purposes  may  be

transferred or  may be  allotted for  other  purposive  use  only

according to  the territorial  planning documents prepared in the

established manner  and land-use  (land allotment)  plans, having

assessed the  expediency of  land transfer  (allotment, losses of

agricultural production  and possible  losses incurred by natural

and legal  persons caused  by the change of the proper purpose of

land use and having provided the compensations for these losses.

 

Resources received due to the change of the proper purposive

use of  the land  designated for  agricultural purposes  shall be

used to  finance the transformation of other lands designated for

agricultural purpose  into farming land, improvement of the value

of farming  land and  soil improvement  measures according to the

procedure established  by  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania.

 

VI. Land Designated for Forestry

 

 

Article 40. Land Designated for Forestry    

 

Land designated for forestry shall comprise:

 

1) land covered with forest with the exception of forests of

the reserves;

 

2)  other   forest  land:   cutting  areas,   burned  areas,

thinnings, glades,  waste plots  of land,  marking off and safety

strips, etc.

 

3) land occupied by forest roads, timber storage points, and

other facilities and equipment used for forestry needs;

 

4) land meant for afforestation purposes;

 

5) game feeding points; other non-forest lands surrounded by

forests.

 

Regeneration  and   protection  of   forests  in   the  land

designated for forestry purposes shall be regulated by the Law on

Forestry.

 

Funds received for the change of the proper purposive use of

forest  land  shall  be  used  for  afforestation,  regeneration,

tending and  protection of  forests according  to  the  procedure

established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

Agricultural  land  lying  within  the  boundaries  of  land

designated for  forestry purposes must be used for the production

of agricultural  produce until  it is  not used  for  its  proper

purpose.

 

Article 41. Owners and Users of Land Designated for Forestry

 

The owners  of land  designated for  forestry shall  be  the

citizens who have been returned the former forest or land covered

with forest  into their  ownership, and  who have received forest

without compensation  in the  process of land reform, or who have

bought forest. The maximum size of the forest tract acquired into

private ownership  by one  person shall  be  established  by  the

Government of  the Republic  of Lithuania  upon the  approval  of

comprehensive land-use plans of land reform.

 

State  land   designated  for  forestry  purposes  shall  be

allotted for  the use  and possession  or leased  to  forestries,

national and  regional parks.  Forestries and  national parks are

government  agencies   responsible  for   the  implementation  of

regeneration, tending and protection of forests.

 

State forest  tracts which  due to  their size, location and

characteristics of  stands may  be used  for forestry  activities

shall be  allotted for  use or leased to farmers and agricultural

enterprises, other  natural and  legal  persons,  provided  these

tracts lie within the territory of their agricultural land.     

 

VII. LAND DESIGNATED FOR CONSERVATION PURPOSES

 

Article 42. Land Designated for Conservation Purposes

 

Land designated for conservation purposes comprises the land

which, according  to the  established procedure  is  allotted  or

attributed to:

 

1) state reserves;

 

2)  territories   of  the   monuments  of  nature,  history,

archaeology and culture;

 

3) conservation zones of national and regional parks;

 

4) other  objects of  nature wherein economic activities are

prohibited, which  are not  associated with  special maintenance,

management and protection of the territory occupied by them.

 

The procedure  for the use and protection of land designated

for conservation  purposes shall  be regulated  by the Law on the

Environmental Protection, other laws and subordinate acts.

 

The land  of other  categories may  also be  designated  for

conservation purposes  according to  the procedure established by

the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.     

 

VIII. The LAND DESIGNATED FOR MISCELLANEOUS PURPOSES

 

 

Article 43. The Land designated for miscellaneous purposes

 

The  land   designated  for   miscellaneous  purposes  shall

comprise plots  of land  acquired by  the citizens  into  private

ownership according  to the  established procedure,  as  well  as

plots of land allotted for use or leased for :

 

1) owner-occupied housing;

 

2) the  construction and  operation of  dwelling, social and

industrial establishments used for various purposes;

 

3) transport and other communications;

 

4) the  exploitation of  mineral  resources,  peat-bogs  and

underground water;

 

5) national defence purposes;

 

6) recreation:

 

7) common  (public) use  by towns  and settlements  and  for

other needs of local governments;

 

8) any activities other than agriculture and forestry.

 

The  area  of  state  land  needed  by  the  users  of  land

designated miscellaneous purposes, shall be established according

to the  standards approved  by the  Government of the Republic of

Lithuania, the ministries and state agencies.

 

In the cases established by the laws and Government decrees,

the  land   shall  be   transferred,  allotted   or  leased   for

miscellaneous purposes  on agreement,  only upon the execution of

documents of  territorial planning and land-use ( land allotment)

plans.

 

The land  designated for  miscellaneous  purposes  shall  be

managed  in   compliance  with  building  and  planning  projects

approved according to the established procedure.

 

Agricultural lands  lying within  the  land  designated  for

miscellaneous  purposes  must  be  used  for  the  production  of

agricultural produce  until they  are used for the proper special

purpose.

 

IX. THE LAND OF THE STATE STOCK OF WATERS

 

 

Article 44. The Land of the State Stock of Waters

 

The land  of the  state stock of waters shall comprise areas

of land occupied by:

 

1) territorial sea;

 

2) the Curonian lagoon;

 

3) rivers  with constant  water flow,  the basin of which is

not less  than 25 sq.km., or connecting the lakes assigned to the

state stock of waters;

 

4) lakes  with an  area exceeding  5 ha, which have not been

returned into  private ownership,  and other  lakes provided they

are connected  by rivers assigned to the state stock of waters or

they are  assigned to  the state stock of waters according to the

procedure established  by  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania;

5) not privatised water bodies established with the funds of

the state or local government budgets.

 

The procedure  for the  use of  water bodies assigned to the

state stock of waters shall be established by the Law on Water.

 

X. THE STOCK OF THE UNOCCUPIED STATE LAND

 

 

Article 45. The Stock of the Unoccupied State Land    

 

The stock  of the unoccupied state land shall comprise state

land which  is not  allotted for  the use  by natural  and  legal

persons, is not leased or transferred into private ownership.

 

The stock  of unoccupied  state land  shall be  operated  by

local governments  according to  the procedure established by the

Government of  the Republic  of Lithuania. Upon the determination

of  the  purposive  use  of  its  separate  plots  and  upon  the

completion  of   necessary  works  of  territorial  optimization,

management  and   soil  improvement   with  the  funds  of  local

governments, the  land of the stock of the unoccupied state land,

which is  not used  for common needs of the inhabitants (streets,

squares, green  belts, cemeteries,  recreation, etc.)  and is not

assigned to  public needs,  may be  sold, allotted  for  use,  or

leased according to the procedure established by this law.

 

 

XI. STATE LAND-USE PLANNING

 

Article 46. The Objective of the State Land-use Planning

 

The objective of the state land-use planning is:

 

1) to  prepare the  state land  development  and  protection

programmes and  land- use  plans of administrative territories of

the  country,  as  the  integral  part  of  territorial  planning

(landscaping);

 

2) to  prepare  land-use  plans  for  the  determination  or

revision of administrative boundaries, and other management plans

of administrative territories;

 

3) to  prepare land-use  plans for  the taking  of land  for

public needs  and for  the allotment of land to local governments

and the common use of the inhabitants, state enterprises, offices

and organisations;

 

4) to  prepare land-use  plans for  the buying out, transfer

and exchange  of land,  for the formation of new or restructuring

of the  existing land  holdings, and  for  the  establishment  of

special conditions  for land  use, restrictions of activities and

servitudes;and

 

5) to  prepare land-use  plans for  the management  of  land

holdings of  agricultural enterprises  and on  individual orders,

for the  management of  land of  farmers' farms and of other land

users and for the organisation of rational land use.

 

Article 47. Carrying out of the State Land-use Planning

Works

 

The state  land-use planning  works shall  be carried out at

the expense of the State, the landowners and of other land users.

The works of the state land-use planning shall be organised,

managed, controlled  and accepted  by the State Land-use Planning

Agency, the  functions, rights  and responsibility of which shall

be established  by the laws and the Government of the Republic of

Lithuania.

State land-use  planning works  shall be  carried out by the

state  land-use  planning  agencies,  production  state  land-use

planning institutions  or  other  enterprises  and  organisations

hired by these agencies, offices and institutions.

The procedure for and the contents of the works of land- use

planning and  research shall  be established by the Government of

the Republic  of Lithuania or by any other institution authorised

by it.

 

Article 48. Private Land-surveyors

 

A private  land-surveyor may  be a  person having  a special

higher or  high education  and  who  obtained  a  licence  issued

according to  the  procedure  established  by  laws,  to  perform

geodetic, topographic and cartographic works and a licence issued

according to  the procedure  established by the Government of the

Republic of Lithuania to perform state land-use planning works.

 

The rights,  duties  and  responsibility  of  private  land-

surveyors and the type of work that they are permitted to perform

shall be  established by  the laws  and  the  Government  of  the

Republic of Lithuania.

 

XII. STATE LAND CADASTRE

 

 

Article 49. The Objective of the State Land Cadastre

 

The objective of the State Land Cadastre is:

1) to  register the existing and new private and state-owned

plots of land and land holdings formed in the process of land-use

planning; and

 

2) according  to the system established by the Government of

the Republic  of Lithuania,  to accumulate and update information

about the  possession of  land plots,  their size  and value, the

conditions and  restrictions of  land use, other features of land

as the  property or  object of  use, and  of other  real property

located on  that land,  other distribution  of land according its

owners, users and land holdings.

 

While registering  plots of  land and land holdings, maps of

land cadastre  shall be  prepared and revised, whereon registered

plots of  land and other objects of real property and the nature,

affecting the  value of land plot and conditions of use, shall be

marked.  The   contents  of   maps  of  land  cadastre  shall  be

established by the state land-use planning agency.

 

The data  of State  Land Cadastre is an official information

about the stock of land of the Republic of Lithuania, its use and

holder.

 

Article 50. The Management of the State Land Cadastre

 

The State  Land Cadastre  shall be  drawn up and kept by the

state land-use  planning agency  and its offices according to the

 

procedure established  by the  laws and  the  Government  of  the

Republic of Lithuania.

 

Survey, soil  research, land  accounting and valuation works

necessary for the State Land Cadastre shall be carried out by the

production  state   land-use  planning   institutions  or   other

enterprises, organisations and private surveyors hired by them.

 

Legal  and  natural  persons  and  state  institutions  must

provide  offices   that  manage  the  State  Land  Cadastre  with

necessary information  about the land used by them or which is at

their disposition,  as  well  as  the  buildings  and  facilities

located thereon.

 

Works necessary  for  the  drawing  up  of  the  State  Land

Cadastre shall  be carried out at the expense of the state, local

governments,  land   owners  and  land  users  according  to  the

procedure established  by  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania.

 

Article 51. Application of Data of State Land Cadastre

 

The data  of the  State Land  Cadastre shall be furnished to

state institutions and natural and legal persons and used for :

 

1) the  formation and  implementation of  the state land use

policy;

 

2) the creation and operation of land information system;

 

3) the planning of state land improvement and protection;

 

4) natural resources and territorial planning;

 

5) the preparation of land use plans and schemes;

 

6) determination  of an  official market  price of a plot of

land;

 

7) the mortgage of land and the formation of land market;

 

8) imposition  of taxes  on land  and the  formation of  the

system of land taxes;

 

9) state control of land use ; and

 

10) information  on land  in statistical  and other official

publications.

 

Interested persons  shall pay  for the  information  of  the

State Land Cadastre according to the procedure established by the

Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

 

XIII. STATE CONTROL OF LAND USE

 

 

 

Article 52. The Contents of State Control of Land Use

 

State control  of land  use shall  be  carried  out  by  the

institutions specified in Article 30 of this law according to the

regulations  approved  by  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania.

 

State control of land use shall embrace:    

 

1)  coordination   and  examination  of  programmes,  plans,

schemes, other  documents of territorial planning relative to the

principle purposive  use of  land, revision  of the boundaries of

the plots of land and conditions of land use; and

 

2) systematic  checking whether the activities of land users

are in  compliance with laws and the procedure established by the

Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

Article 53. Liability for the Violation of Land Legislation

 

Natural  and   legal  persons   shall  incur   disciplinary,

administrative, material  and criminal  responsibility under  the

laws of the Republic of Lithuania if they have :

 

1) willfully occupied plots of land;

 

2) damaged  or destroyed  boundary marks, geodetic signs and

points, and laid up boreholes;

 

3) used the land not for its proper purpose;

 

4) not met special land use conditions and restrictions;

 

5) failed  to take  measures so  that the land could be used

for its proper purpose;

 

6) failed to take mandatory measures for the improvement and

protection of soil of agricultural land ;

 

7) violated  the interests  of  other  land  users  and  the

inhabitants;

 

8) not met the requirements established during the allotment

of land or prescribed by land lease;

 

9) prevented other land users from using land for its proper

purpose; and

 

10) made other violations of legislation regulating land use

relationship.

 

Willfully occupied plots of land shall be taken away without

reimbursing inputs  made during  the unlawful use of land . Plots

of land  must be  brought to  such a condition that they could be

used for  their proper  purpose at  the expense  of  enterprises,

organizations or individuals which occupied them willfully,     

 

Article 54. Reimbursement of Damage Caused by Reason of

Unlawful Activities

 

Natural and  legal persons who have violated the established

land use  requirements, must  compensate for the damage caused to

other natural  and legal  persons and  the State according to the

procedure established by laws.

 

 

XIV. LAND DISPUTES

 

 

 

Article 55. Definition of Land Disputes

 

Land disputes mean the disputes arising between:

 

1) land  owners  and  other  legitimate  users  of  land  --

concerning trespass;

 

2) land  owners and other legitimate users of land and other

individuals, enterprises, offices and organisations -- concerning

the unlawful  occupation of a plot of land or prevention from the

use of a plot of land belonging by the right of ownership or used

on other grounds;

 

3) land  owners  and  other  legitimate  users  of  land  --

concerning the  termination of  activities ( even though, lawful)

in the  adjacent plot  of land,  which cause damage to other land

belonging by the right of ownership or used on other grounds;

 

4) land  owners  and  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of

Lithuania or  a local government of town (district) -- concerning

the method  and amount  of compensation  for the  land taken  for

public needs;

 

5) land  owners and  land tenants  and the Government of the

Republic of Lithuania or a local government of town (district) --

concerning the  change of  the proper purpose of its use or (and)

setting of  special land  use requirements  and  restrictions  of

activities;

 

6) the lessor and lessee -- concerning land lease; and

 

7)  land  co-owners  --  concerning  the  holding,  use  and

disposal of the plot of land that is a common property.

 

Article 56. Procedure for the Consideration of Land Disputes

 

Land disputes shall be considered by courts according to the

civil proceedings.

 

By the  agreement of  the parties,  land and  other disputes

arising in  respect of  civil legal relations may be referred for

decision to  the arbitration court, the regulations thereof shall

be approved by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

 

XV. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS

 

 

 

Article 57. International Agreements

 

In the cases where the international agreements binding upon

the Republic  of Lithuania  prescribe the rules of land use other

than those  established by the laws of the Republic of Lithuania,

the rules  provided for  in the  international  agreements  shall

apply, provided  they do  not contradict  the Constitution of the

Republic of Lithuania.

 

XVI. ENACTMENT OF THIS LAW

 

 

Article 58. Enactment of this Law

 

The present law shall come into effect as of 1 July 1994.

 

Upon the  coming into  effect of  the Law  on  Land  of  the

Republic of  Lithuania, Par.  10 of Article 11 of the Law on Land

Reform shall become invalid.

 

 

 

I promulgate  this Law  passed by the Seimas of the Republic

of Lithuania.

 

 

 

President of the Republic               Algirdas Brazauskas

 

 

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