Selling Lith. land to foreign investors - beneficial or not?

[Skomand]

Lithuanian farmers ask government to extend ban on land sale to foreigners


Lithuanian farmers are asking the government to extend the existing ban on the sale of agricultural land to foreigners until direct payments to Lithuania reach the EU's average level and to use national budget funds to cover the difference in EU aid.

„We are asking to extend the transitional period (for land sale to foreigners) until payments to Lithuania are brought up to the EU average. We also propose that there should be a possibility to cover the difference between the average EU payment and that to Lithuania through additional national direct payments,“ Andriejus Stancikas, the president of the Lithuanian Chamber of Agriculture, told BNS.

Stancikas was commenting on a resolution adopted by the Lithuanian Farmers' Congress last Friday.

Farmers want direct payments to be raised to 196 euros per hectare in 2015, not in 2019 as currently proposed, he said.

The current ban on the sale of land to foreigners expires in May 2014.

Under the current proposal at the European Parliament, direct payments to Lithuania would be increased to 149 euros per hectare in 2014, from the current 144 euros, and would go further up to reach 196 euros in 2019.

Skaitykite daugiau: http://www.15min.lt/en/article/busin...#ixzz2j8Y0K5cD




http://www.15min.lt/en/article/busin...ers-527-319257


http://naujienos.istorija.net/2013/1...mas-pries.html

http://land-grabbing.de/triebkraefte...-in-osteuropa/

[Hercus Monte]

well since we don't want to end up like latvia(where over 50% of land is owned by foreigners) it's probably better to keep the ban for now.

[Shkembe Chorba]

We extended our ban till 2020, but it is very possible for EU not to accept this. Society thinks of it as a populist action.

[Hercus Monte]

We extended our ban till 2020, but it is very possible for EU not to accept this.

doesn't really matter, they can't force it on us.

[pelikarski]

Shkembe, it was unnecessary. Turkish firms and businessmen already own most of the agricultural land in Southern and Northeastern Bulgaria.

[Shkembe Chorba]

doesn't really matter, they can't force it on us.

Actually they have their tools. If you want to extend the moratorium your EU agreement will be opened. When it is opened EU can make corrections in it, and give you unfavourable conditions. Then the options are 2: allow selling land to foreigners and dont allow it with huge harms in your membership in the Union.

[Hercus Monte]

Actually they have their tools. If you want to extend the moratorium your EU agreement will be opened. When it is opened EU can make corrections in it, and give you unfavourable conditions. Then the options are 2: allow selling land to foreigners and dont allow it with huge harms in your membership in the Union.

they can fine us, I know. but we don't have to listen. we're not their serfs, we're members and have the right to negotiate.

[Shkembe Chorba]

they can fine us, I know. but we don't have to listen. we're not their serfs, we're members and have the right to negotiate.

They already ban the Romanian moratorium.

http://www.bgfermer.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=2388752

Negotiations are one thing, not allowing to sell land to foreigners, another.

Anyway, Im on your side.

[Hercus Monte]

They already ban the Romanian moratorium.

http://www.bgfermer.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=2388752

Negotiations are one thing, not allowing to sell land to foreigners, another.

Anyway, Im on your side.

that's not comparable because Romania had a different situation. they tried to ''determine the correct value of the land'', we want locals and foreigners to have equal rights and opportunities, and as we all know the EU loves equality.


in any case, our government will probably not extend the ban and just introduce strong regulation. probably an easier solution anyway.