"Peculiar law"? Dutch laws aren't that different. A property has to have been empty for at least a year before it becomes legal to squat (and I believe these rules have been tightened further a couple of years ago, but I'm not entirely up to date).

The reason to have squatting legal (with restrictions) is to make it unattractive to keep buildings unused in the face of housing shortage. Find some use for it or turn it into housing. If you don't, eventually, someone else can.