Verkhovna Rada Committee on Corruption Prevention and Counteraction finds draft law "On amendments to Land Code of Ukraine" (concerning decentralization of authorities of executive power bodies in land relations) non-complying with anti-corruption laws

Information Department
02 December 2015, 10:32




As was mentioned at a meeting on November 25, 2015, the draft law (Reg. No. 1452) was elaborated to decentralize authorities in the sphere of management of lands in state ownership, today belonging to the central executive power body in charge of land resources - the State Agency of Land Resources and its territorial departments.
For instance, according to the effective the Land Code, the State Agency of Land Resources and its territorial departments manage agricultural land in state ownership for all purposes. However, the draft envisages that in their territories regional state administrations transfer land plots from lands in state ownership, excluding in cases determined in Section 8 of this Article into ownership or use, within the boundaries of villages, towns and cities of regional importance for all purposes and outside populated areas:
a) from agricultural land for all purposes;
b) for water industry;
c) for construction of facilities connected with servicing of residents of territorial community of the district (schools, cultural institutions, hospitals, enterprises, etc.), taking into account the requirements of Section 7 of this Article;
d) for private cottage construction.

The Committee members believe that the draft law has a corruption risk of reducing control over decisions on allocation of land and increasing the possibilities for abuse; taking into account the above mentioned and in order to remove the corruption factor the draft law should be rejected.