EBRD considers Ukraine’s land reform haste unnecessary

"Indeed, the mantra we constantly hear and heard especially in Mariupol last week is that we need to hurry up, we need to be as quick as possible, mistakes will be made but then we will correct them. The land reform is just the thing we can't make mistakes about as they will be irreversible. So let's make a short pause, think about it and do it gradually, do everything right. Let’s preserve the rights of small farms and farmers because they need special attention," EBRD Managing Director for Eastern Europe and Caucasus Matteo Patrone said at the Kyiv International Economic Forum on November 9 when asked how he assesses the opening of the land market in Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

Jean-Jacques Soulacroup, Senior Corporate Banker at European Investment Bank, endorsed Patrone’s view.

"Land reform, land privatization, trade is good but this should be done gradually... I think that Ukraine should not make haste. I would recommend doing this gradually. First, to address the issue of state-owned land through privatization. These are measures to avoid the seizure of land, for example, by larger holdings. And, second, to settle the issue of private land after consultations," Soulacroup noted.

As reported, the ban on farmland sales was introduced in Ukraine in 2001. Since 2002, the moratorium has been extended repeatedly. In December 2018, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine extended the moratorium on farmland sales until January 1, 2020.

Currently, eleven different bills on farmland circulation are registered in the Verkhovna Rada.

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