The European Union spends $65 billion a year subsidizing agriculture. But a chunk of that money emboldens strongmen, enriches politicians and finances corrupt dealing and land grabs.

At the end of June, Advance Terrafund owned 23,017 ha of farmland and 13.3 ha of urban land.

At the initiative of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, all groups in the National Assembly except one have agreed to the withdrawal of legislative amendments intended at opening up the sale of agricultural land to foreigners.

Bulgaria’s government has drafted legislative amendments to exempt European Union citizens from restrictions on buying agricultural land, as the country could face huge financial sanctions from the EU if it does not.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is lending five million euro to Bulgaria's Elana Agrocredit, a company offering long-term financial lease contracts to farmers seeking to acquire agricultural land.

The European Commission is giving five Eastern European countries two months to bring their agricultural land purchasing rules in line with the European Union standards or it may pursue legal action.

Ce mois de mai a vu expirer la dernière règlementation transitoire qui devait protéger les "nouveaux venus" d’Europe de l’Est, contre les investisseurs étrangers à l’affût des terres agricoles.

El acaparamiento de tierras se está produciendo también en la UE, con una implantación que va en aumento, especialmente en los países del este de la UE, como son Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungría y Polonia.

As China becomes a large importer, its food security strategy calls for gaining control over imports from their source.

Bulgarian real estate investment trust Advance Terrafund said on Monday it sold 2,336 hectares of farmland.

The EBRD is providing a €5 million to loan to Elana Agrocredit AD to co-finance the development of Bulgaria’s agricultural land market.

Offshore companies can not acquire and have ownership of agricultural land in Bulgaria, according to the latest amendments to the Agricultural Land Ownership and Use Act.