The process of transfer of lands to the communal property of the consolidated communities (CC) initiated by the Government of Ukraine should complete by the end of 2018, thereby first acts of land cession, under the solution found by the Cabinet of Ministers, must take place in February-March. Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman stated during a special meeting devoted to land issues.

"We see certain progress in this issue. We do not need amending legislation; a Government's decision would be enough to transfer lands to the ownership of the merged territorial communities. The communities will own the land, dispose of it freely, and nobody will interfere with it," said Volodymyr Groysman.

The proposed mechanism of land transfer is as transparent as possible and accounts for several steps: filing an application to the territorial office of the State Service for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre (State GeoCadastre) on the transfer of land, land inventory process, approval of the decision and registration of property rights in the judicial authorities. Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, most of land plots have been subjected to inventory, but if necessary, additional inventory will be carried out in the quickest possible time frame.

The anticipated rate of land transfer is at least three communities per month. Coordination of all actions will be specified in the memorandum, which would be signed by the governing bodies of CC and the bodies of the State GeoCadastre. The signing of the documents will commence this week. On the proposal of the Government, the Association of Amalgamated Territorial Communities and the Association of Ukrainian Cities would be eligible to provide assistance in the aforementioned activities.

"We will monitor implementation (of memorandums). If we see someone meddling, we will fire (such officials)," stressed Volodymyr Groysman. "We should draw preliminary conclusions of the process in three weeks".

The Head of Government highlighted there are currently about 700 merged communities in Ukraine. "By the end of 2018 all land plots should be transferred. This will be lawful transfer of land into ownership. We express our commitment to financially help communities in land allotment projects," said the Prime Minister.

Background

In late January, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine agreed mechanisms for the transfer of land plots to consolidated territorial communities, including land outside of settlements. The corresponding decision was approved with the assistance of the Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman and provides for the execution of relevant government orders to the State Service for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre. Under the decision of the Government starting February, the communities will be vested with the powers to regulate all land matters. Moreover, the structures of the State GeoCadastre have already been deprived of the right to take unilateral decisions on the disposal of land plots outside the settlements, that is without the consent of the merged communities.