Ukrainian First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Maksym Martyniuk says there is a certain caveat in society about the parameters of the land market introduction, but there is no potential risk that could be mitigated within the architecture of land reform.
"A group of experts that worked on a draft law on land tenure has analyzed all the fears and risks, with the exception of frank populism, and developed comprehensive tools for their prevention," Martyniuk said at a panel discussion on reforms, organized by the Center for Economic Strategy.
In particular, the introduction of a 200-ha-per-person limit makes it impossible to buy up an excessive area of land, while limiting the number of buyers as individuals and with a direct ban on land acquisition by foreign citizens will give priority access to the land market for small farmers and will create an incentive for the development of rural entrepreneurship.
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"Of course, the market in the 'all-in-all' format will produce a greater economic effect, while leaving behind social factors and not creating incentives for the formation of the middle class in the rural area," the first deputy minister said.
He also stressed that 17 years of "formation of myths" on the land moratorium cannot disappear immediately, but thanks to active governmental communication over the last two years, polls record a gradual shift of public opinion towards the land market. At the same time, a false start with the introduction of an appropriate bill may stall the reform for an indefinite period.
UNIAN memo. The moratorium on the sale of agricultural land was introduced in 2001. It can be lifted if the law on the circulation of agricultural land comes into force, but it may happen not earlier than January 1, 2018.