President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has generally supported the innovations in land relations proposed by the government. However, he has instructed that a number of them be refined and that amendments to the legislation be made not by Presidential decree, but through amendments to the Land Code. First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov told journalists about these and other outcomes of the meeting with the head of state on improving land relations, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has generally supported the innovations in land relations proposed by the government. However, he has instructed that a number of them be refined and that amendments to the legislation be made not by Presidential decree, but through amendments to the Land Code. First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov told journalists about these and other outcomes of the meeting with the head of state on improving land relations, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
The President has determined the preservation of existing principles of land relations in the country and their further provision. That is, the President will retain the issues of managing agricultural land, arable land, and forests. Powers over other lands should be transferred to local authorities."The President has instructed to return to the discussion of the main innovations of the decree in order to fulfill the target task set by the President to the government within the framework of the meeting – all proposals must fully meet people's expectations and be in demand by ordinary people. Under no circumstances should speculation with land plots be allowed," he emphasized. "Most likely, we will once again carefully study and extrapolate these norms to the real situation in the regions in order to ensure the President's instructions that this should truly be expected by people and positively received. Most likely, it will be implemented in the Land Code."
Initially, the government proposed to expand the powers of local authorities in resolving land issues, with the exception of Minsk and regional centers, based on the premise that the issue of territory development is not acute there. "We still focused on rural territories. However, the President noted that these norms (laid down in the draft decree. - BELTA's note) can also apply to these territories (Minsk, regional centers and adjacent districts. - BELTA's note) by decision of local authorities. That is, the President has granted even greater powers to local authorities in improving land relations, reserving fundamental issues of the public order of our state, state ownership of agricultural land and forests for himself," said Nikolai Snopkov.
What issues are proposed to be transferred to the local authorities? For example, determining the size of a plot in rural settlements. Currently, it is up to 25 ares for the construction and maintenance of a residential building. The government proposed to increase it to 1 hectare, and the President suggested going even further and allocating more than 1 hectare if necessary.
A more flexible and varied approach to the intended use of a land plot is proposed, including the transformation of territory for the construction and maintenance of a residential building into areas for personal subsidiary farming and vice versa.
The possibility of subdividing plots is envisaged, so that people have the opportunity, for example, to build a house on a plot next to their parents or children. It is planned to allow the placement of non-stationary objects without land allocation (this refers to objects without foundations, for example, kiosks, temporary structures).
A change regarding the registration of plots in horticultural associations is highly anticipated. A norm is envisaged that will allow their legalization based on actual use without amending the development plan.
Relevant for many is the resolution of the problematic issue of formalizing territories occupied by citizens beyond the boundaries of the allocated plot. The government proposed to clearly distinguish between "unlawful occupation of a land plot" (i.e., actual seizure) and non-compliance with the boundaries of the allocated land plot. In the latter case, it was proposed to legalize the actually used plot if the violations constitute up to 10% of the existing territory. However, the Head of State proposed not to limit it to 10%, but to proceed from the situation and leave this issue at the discretion of local authorities, provided, of course, that urban planning norms are not violated overall and the boundaries of another's plot are not encroached upon.
Source: belta.by