Legal and Practical Implications of Digitizing the Slovakian Cadastre: Challenges and Opportunities

Background: Acquiring ownership rights to real estate in Slovakia is complex and frequently encounters hurdles. The formal procedures governing this process can be stringent, resulting in challenges when transferring ownership rights. This article critically evaluates the obstacles and potential advantages as the Slovakian Cadastre shifts towards a digital system. The authors also explore the scope of contractual freedom and governmental intervention in acquiring property rights alongside recent challenges encountered by the digitalized system under both Slovakian and European law. The study analyses the theoretical framework guiding decision-making by Slovak administrative authorities in cadastral proceedings, underscoring the critical role of formal legal procedures in ensuring legal certainty and stability. Additionally, the research underscores the importance of accurately registering changes to property rights within the digitalized real estate registration system to uphold the integrity and transparency of title records. Methods: The research follows a qualitative methodology, employing various qualitative methods, including historical description and analysis, in-depth document analysis, inductive method, comparative analysis, and case studies rooted in legal theory, administrative law and property law. It may utilise conceptual frameworks like legal certainty and stability to inform its examination. The methodology may not involve empirical data collection or statistical analysis but rather a critical examination of the existing legal framework and theoretical perspectives. Results and conclusions: Acquiring ownership rights to real estate in Slovakia is a complex process hindered by discrepancies between registered and actual property statuses, outdated maps and inaccuracies in parcel boundaries. The lack of clarity and precision significantly affects legal certainty and private property rights. In response, the Office of Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre has proposed a comprehensive amendment to the Cadastral Act, aiming to update the classification of land, regulate electronic submissions, and simplify application processes. However, the proposed amendment may restrict public access to information contained in the Cadastre, which could negatively impact the exercise of property rights and the right to freely access information.