San Marino implements new cemetery concession decree to address space emergency

The Grand and General Council of San Marino has ratified Delegated Decree no. 118/2026, reorganizing the republic’s cemetery concessions to address a critical shortage of burial spaces. The measure follows reports from Secretary of State for Internal Affairs Andrea Belluzzi, who described a real emergency where several Castelli have exhausted available plots.

Under the new regulations, old concessions will face progressive expiration dates. Concessions issued up to 1957 are set to expire on December 31, 2026, with a gradual schedule continuing through 2050. To recover space, the state will begin exhumation operations in early 2027, starting with unclaimed burials. Families will be notified via registered mail at least 90 days before expiration and, where possible, via telephone, allowing them to choose the final destination for remains.

The decree aims to fix a system that had remained stagnant for decades, during which certain loculi remained unassigned even after no longer being claimed, preventing new allocations.