Cap. 201 Art. 12Right of Church or other pious or religious institutions to own and administer property.

(1) With effect from such date as the Prime Minister may by notice in the Gazette establish* (hereinafter referred to as the effective date) any church or other pious or religious institution shall, subject to the provisions of any law dealing with the acquisition of immovable property by non-residents and of any other ordinary law of general applicability have the right to acquire and hold possession of immovable property in Malta without any obligation to dispose of the same within any period and without any

58 of 1993 * 18th February, 1993 - see L.N. . therein referred to published on or after the effective date.

(3) Any immovable property which on or before the effective date may have been forfeited to the Government in virtue of this Act, and which on the effective date was still in the possession or detention of a church or other pious or religious institution is hereby restored to the church or other pious or religious institution to which it belonged before it was so forfeited: Provided that where any such property has been disposed of before the effective date in accordance with the provisions of this Act, although not within the time established therein or thereunder, the provisions of this Act shall be deemed to have been complied with and any such disposal shall be deemed to have been validly made.