Leshchenko: Abolition of moratorium on land sale only part of major reform

"Being in the center of Europe, we had slave laws for 20 years, depriving farmers of the right to manage their land plots. However, the abolition of the moratorium is only part of major reform. Meanwhile, we have changed a large number of corrupt and bureaucratic procedures that blocked the right of local authorities and citizens to [manage] their own land," Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Roman Leshchenko said in an interview with the Rzeczpospolita Polish newspaper.

Leshchenko added that, when heading the State Service of Ukraine for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre, he made a decision to transfer the right to manage agricultural land to the territorial communities created after last year's local elections.

As reported, in pursuance of the Decree of the President of Ukraine of October 15, 2020 "On some measures to accelerate reforms in the field of land relations", the Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution on November 16 to launch a mechanism for full transfer of agricultural land to the united territorial communities.

In total, it is planned to transfer 2 million hectares of state lands for the use of the united territorial communities.

From late November to mid-December 2020, the State Service of Ukraine for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre transferred 1.246 million hectares of agricultural land to 857 united territorial communities.

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