This year, the Government completed an important part of the transfer of agricultural land to the communal property of amalgamated hromadas (AHs). The process will be prolonged next year, informed Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman during a ceremony of transferring land to communal ownership of AHs.

"Over 650 AHs have received agricultural land in communal ownership in course of this year. They acquired the right to own land, enabling them to fill the budget, to use these lands rationally. In total, over 1.5 million hectares of land have been transferred to amalgamated hromadas this year. We will continue the process next year as well", said the Head of Government.

He stressed that the Government would continue to enrich the decentralisation reform through concrete activities.

Particular attention will be paid to the newly formed amalgamated hromadas. "It is important that all newly formed AHs also get land in ownership to have resources, powers and get success", stressed Volodymyr Groysman.

The Head of Government appealed to the heads of hromadas and emphasised that "land resources should be used as transparently and efficiently as possible. And the residents would make a report containing what, where and how is used".

Background

On 31 January, the Government approved the Decree No. 60-р on the transfer of state-owned agricultural land plots to the communal ownership of AHs, thereby allowing for land decentralisation without resorting to amending legislation.

The State Service for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre (StateGeoCadastre) started the process of transferring land from 1 February 2018.

During the first week, 99% of the AHs made the first step towards obtaining land ownership by signing memoranda with the (StateGeoCadastre).

Over 11 months 2018, 958.9 thousand hectares of state-owned agricultural land have been transferred to the communal ownership of 485 AHs.

In total, 659 AHs received about 1.46 million hectares of land in communal ownership during this year.