The European People’s Party has proposed an EU law to prevent oligarchs and land-grabbers drawing on EU subsidies at the expense of small and medium-sized farming businesses.
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 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.
