Ukraine. Land sale ban extension bill passed in first reading
2012-10-17 15:57:00
People's deputies have passed on the first reading the bill filed by Yuriy Miroshnichenko to extend the moratorium on the sale of farmland.
This decision was supported by 240 people's deputies.
"The bill introduces amendments to the Land Code of Ukraine, under which a moratorium on the sale of agricultural land continues until the entry into force of the farmland turnover law. It is worth noting that such a law should be prepared and submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers to the Verkhovna Rada in accordance with the provisions of the bill by January 1, 2013," the explanatory memorandum to the bill reads.
According to Miroshnichenko, the bill will extend the moratorium on the sale of agricultural land until the day a land market law is adopted.
Under the current legislation, the moratorium expires on January 1, 2013. However, as the author of the bill specified, the question of formation and transfer of agricultural land is not legally regulated to date.
"The best way to address the problem is the development and adoption of the law on amendments to the Land Code of Ukraine, which will allow postponement of the term for lifting the moratorium on the sale of agricultural land until legislative settlement of the question of its turnover, and the creation during this time of an effective mechanism for the sale and control over the sale of land, which would prevent possible abuses and criminal performance," the explanatory note reads.
At the same time, the opposition believes that this is a "fraudulent and criminal bill, because, in particular, the terms of the moratorium have not been set," deputy chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Mykola Tomenko, stated.
As reported, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Draft Law 9001-d on land market in first reading as a basis, but it was not included in the agenda of the eleventh session of the Rada's sixth convocation.