EU ambassador names five conditions for successful launch of land market in Ukraine
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas said this during his speech at the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Land" in Kyiv on Monday, May 24, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“I welcome the roadmap that was just presented by Minister Leshchenko [Agrarian Policy Minister Roman Leshchenko]. There is both potential and ways to realize it, how to do it fairly and openly ... As part of this roadmap, we, along with other international partners such as the United States and the World Bank, see five key actions that are important to take, preferably by July 1. In the Ukrainian algorithm, this will help create a modern system and provide farmers with the necessary instruments and intelligent tools,” the diplomat said.
He called the adoption of three relevant resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers and the development of software for their implementation, including automatic verification of the established limit on the ownership of more than 100 hectares of land, the first of the necessary actions.
The second important area, according to Maasikas, is the implementation of a comprehensive communication program in Ukraine, which will allow owners and users to learn about their rights and opportunities that are opening up thanks to land reform.
The third principle is the development of a system of public monitoring of land sales and all related transactions. Such measures will create conditions for legal support and protection of owners, as well as increase public confidence in these processes.
The fourth direction is to establish a clear anti-corruption audit of the state geocadastre, which is very important to prevent abuse. The benefits of land reform should go to those who deserve them and who work on this land.
Finally, the fifth idea is to provide farmers with effective access to the credit market, creating incentives for agricultural producers to take advantage of such opportunities.
He acknowledged that land reform in Ukraine has a strong emotional effect, given the traditional deep connection of the Ukrainian people with their own land.
The ambassador noted that in the EU, land use issues are a matter of national competence, but all EU countries share common principles of agricultural policy. All EU countries have a developed and functional land market with open data and digital cadastre.
“We have seen with our own eyes the implementation of land reform, let it be an example of your success and practical achievements. You can continue to count on the support of the European Union, which will support all the reforms needed to create an efficient land market,” Maasikas added.
As Ukrinform reported, on March 31, 2020, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Law "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Concerning the Circulation of Agricultural Land". On April 28, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law.
The document stipulates that the moratorium on the sale of agricultural land, except for state-owned land, will be lifted from July 2021. Citizens of Ukraine, territorial communities, and the state may acquire the right of ownership of agricultural land plots.
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