“Ukraine does need European land-reform experience where the focus is on small and medium-sized farmers, not large agricultural holdings,” -- Olena Kondratiuk
Olena Kondratiuk, vice speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, believes that the focus of the land reform should be on the peasants, small and medium-sized farmers, and "not just large agricultural holdings and local feudal lords". She stated this while commenting on the progress of consideration of the land bill No.2178-10 in parliament.
According to the vice-speaker, the land market should be opened gradually, following the results of an all-Ukrainian referendum.
“We need European experience in order to start off a real circulation of agricultural lands, not a bear garden. It is necessary that the state takes care of the conditions for creating and developing small-scale farming. It should be a comprehensive state programme, including affordable loans at 3-5%,” Olena Kondratiuk emphasized. According to her, only after the number of such farms will be at least 1.5-2 million, the land circulation process could be started at full blast. At the same time, the priority right to buy out the lands from the peasants should be vested to the state land bank at market price, without any intermediaries and mortgage schemes.
The land concentration should not exceed 500 hectares per customer, as in Poland, and not 10 000 hectares, as proposed by the bill in question.
The official also called for imposing a ban on sales of the lands to foreigners. ‘We ought to be wise and prudent in making such fateful decisions,” VRU’s vice speaker stressed in conclusion.