Hungarian Gov't Bans Sale Of Farmland To Foreigners
- 18 Oct 2012 11:45 AM
The new land bill will outlaw the sale of farmland to foreigners, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told the youth section of farmers group Magosz in Cegléd last Saturday. The bill, submitted to Parliament on July 12, will “protect farm land from speculators and bankers” and limit large estates. It will also regain “land stolen through pocket contracts,” he said.
So-called “pocket contracts” are arrangements in which Hungarian farmers allow foreigners to farm their land.
Next year will see changes in Hungary unprecedented in 50-100 years, Orbán continued, “if we do not back down, if our strength does not let us down”.
Orbán emphasised that the goal of modifying property proportions is to strengthen the medium-sized property owners.
He told TV2 on Sunday that foreigners may buy land in some EU countries, but the laws are formulated in a way in most of them to give priority to local farmers, and this is what will happen in Hungary.
Source: Hungary Around the Clock
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