The land market in Ukraine should be opened in the summer, but the rules of the “game” in this field are still not regulated. What can be done to prevent the land market opening from turning into profanation or fraud? What laws and regulations do we need? Are we on the right way connected with land relations?” the UAC Deputy Chairman Mykhailo Sokolov shared his opinion with the "Comments" publication.

We need a clear control mechanism

The UAC Deputy Chairman Mykhailo Sokolov (UAC) emphasizes that today we are seriously distancing ourselves from the plan of normative acts adoption, which was originally planned by the government and the Verkhovna Rada to successfully launch the land market on July 1, 2021.

"For example, the law on the circulation of agricultural land says that limits should be set on land ownership and they have to control it. For individuals, up to 100 hectares in one hand, for legal entities - up to 10,000 hectares. However, to implement this, we need a control mechanism. Notaries and state registrars need to understand how they can control this," the expert explains. “Why is this a difficult question? Because we still have paper state acts, which are not in any database. This will lead to the situation when notaries and registrars will be afraid to register the relevant contracts. After all, they can remain guilty, carrying out a registration actions that are not legal."

It is unclear how the ban on buying land in the 50-kilometer zone near the state border will be implemented.

"However, the problem is that the relevant executive regulations are not adopted and have not even been submitted for discussion. And there is no time left," - Mykhailo Sokolov said.

According to his words, if we want the market to work, we need to reintegrate the State Geocadastre and the Register of Property Rights. The relevant law (that all data available in the cadastre must be reflected in the Register of Property Rights) has been adopted. But the action was not performed.

It is necessary to intensify the work of parliament

Mykhailo Sokolov continues: “The bill №3205-2 “On the fund of partial guarantee of deposits” has been adopted today in the first reading. This bill is very important for small farmers, because without it they have no chance to get at least some money to buy land - and they cannot be a part of the land market. "

"The boll №2194 is mainly known for the fact that its norms provide for the transfer of state-owned lands outside settlements to the ownership of communities. But in addition, it contains a large number of rules that make land relations transparent," the UAC Deputy Chairman said. "It is necessary to intensify the work of the Verkhovna Rada in order for these bills to be on the agenda of the session - and to be voted," - sums up Mykhailo Sokolov.