(Ecofin Agency) - In Morocco, a group of deputies from the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), one of the country’s major parties, submitted to the parliament a draft bill to better protect State lands. This was reported by le360.ma relaying newspaper Al Massae. 

“It is a group of deputies from the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) that submitted to parliament a draft bill which aims to protect State lands. These are estimated to cover 1.5 million hectares and are valued at around 500 billion dirhams. Mainly, the new law intends to tackle the legal deficiencies impairing the optimal management of State domains, while ending unruly granting of the properties,” explains Al Massae.   

The newspaper adds that “the bill, which focuses particularly on the State’s private properties (not classified the public domains registry), covers non-declared properties of public use, lands without owners, properties seized by the State, properties transferred or willed to unknown beneficiaries or formally sold to the State, forests also”.

By improving the protection of State lands, Morocco’s parliament hope to better fight the “land mafia” which was pointed out by King Mohammed VI in a letter sent to the minister of Justice, dated January 17, 2017.