RO Social Democrats oppose draft law for liberalizing farmland acquisitions

Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD) warned that it would oppose a draft law promoted by 61 MPs of the ruling coalition, aiming to liberalize the regime of the transactions involving farmland.

The bill aims to waive the buyer's residency requirement and the ban on re-sale of the land sooner than eight years after the purchase, PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu stressed.

"Through the legislation adopted last year, in accordance with European legislation, we [PSD] prevented them [the incumbent ruling coalition] from selling the land to foreigners. We want to protect both farmers and the Romanian state given that 4 million hectares of land are no longer owned by Romanians," Ciolacu argued, quoted by News.ro.

The draft law mentioned by Social Democrat leader Ciolacu was submitted to the Senate by several MPs of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and reformist platform USR-PLUS on March 9.

It provides for the amendment and completion of Law no. 17/2014 on some measures to regulate the sale of agricultural land located outside the city and Law no. 268/2001 on the privatization of companies that manage public and private land owned by the state for agricultural purposes and the establishment of the State Domains Agency.

(Photo: George Calin/ Inquam Photos)