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3 Oct 2019, 10:00

Ukraine’s farm workers demand that authorities abandon idea of land sale

According to TV channel 112 Ukraine, about 1,000 farm workers gathered near Verkhovna Rada and the crowd is still growing

KIEV, October 3. /TASS/. Ukraine’s farm workers from all Ukrainian regions gathered near Kiev’s parliament demanding that authorities do not lift moratorium on the sale of agricultural land. According to TV channel 112 Ukraine, about 1,000 farm workers gathered near Verkhovna Rada and the crowd is still growing.

The protesters are holding posters with mottoes "No to land sale," "Don’t sell your motherland" and "No to sale of land to foreigners." Not all demonstrators oppose farmland sale: some farm workers are solely against providing the right to purchase Ukrainian land to foreigners. At 3 pm farm workers plan to carry a rally, where they will explain their position and talk to Verkhovna Rada members. After that they plan to approach the building of Ukraine’s government, where they will demand a meeting with Prime Minister Alexei Goncharuk.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky earlier ordered Verkhovna Rada to adopt a draft law on the creation of the farmland market and abolish moratorium on its sale until December 1. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) demand that Ukraine legalize the land turnover in market conditions. On September 20, the Ukrainian Ministry for the Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture published the draft law that stipulates lifting of the ban on the sale of farmland starting from October 1, 2020. After the launch of the land market, Ukrainian citizens, Ukrainian legal entities, communities and the state will be able to purchase the right of farmland ownership. Zelensky initially promised that only Ukraine’s citizens would be able to purchase land, but later it became clear that Ukraine’s companies, which may be owned by foreigners, will also be able to purchase land.

On October 1, Zelensky appointed Roman Leshchenko non-staff presidential commissioner for land affairs.

Farm workers gathered for protest rallies in various Ukrainian regions in light of the new approach of the authorities to the land issue, and the Batkvishchyna party, which is led by former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, demanded that the president hold a referendum on this issue.