Mykola Tomenko: Land Sale is possible, provided Five Pre-Conditions of the Land Reform are fulfilled
Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, made this statement at the briefing in the Parliament before the parliamentary hearings "Land in Ukrainian Destiny: Situation in the Land Sector, and Legislative Support of Land Relations."
M. Tomenko emphasized that such an important issue should have been reported personally by the Prime Minister or at least by a Deputy Prime Minister, however, the Government decided to appoint the First Deputy Minister of Agroindustrial Sector and the First Deputy Chairman of the State Agency on Land Relations to be responsible for this issue during the hearings. According to M. Tomenko, it confirms that the Government together with the President´s team has already decided on their actions in the land market system, while declaration of the President´s Administration officials that land sale shall start on 1 January 2012 was characteristic.
M. Tomenko is against ‘matching´ the land reform, especially the right for land sale, with the specific date. "It is possible, provided five pre-conditions of the land reform are fulfilled," he stated. The first pre-condition, according to M. Tomenko, is determination of the state strategy in the nature fund and the nature-reserve fund. "The index of preserved areas is critical 5,4%, while in Europe it comprises 12-15%."
"Secondly, a state strategy in agricultural industry, as well as the land reform strategy and food supply policy shall be determined", emphasized the Deputy Chairman.
The third pre-condition, according to M. Tomenko, is land fund inventory in Ukraine.
"The fourth pre-condition is setting the priorities of agricultural producers and land leaseholders", stressed M. Tomenko.
"The fifth problem is strict priority for the Ukrainian citizens in land privatization or total ban on foreign land privatization", he emphasized.
"When all the five pre-conditions are met, and target state programs, budgets and specific actions are available, Ukraine and society may be considered ready for the right to privatize and buy the land", summed up M. Tomenko.