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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Does Ukraine Have the Chance of Becoming Rich? 

13 October, 1998 - 00:00

Ihor KIRYUSHYN, People's Deputy and member of the Green Faction:

"Our country has invaluable riches - fertile land which cannot be matched
in any other part of the world. If it worked, we wouldn't be afraid of
any financial crises. But look at how it is being used. Most land owners
are facing a desperate situation. The agricultural sector is not receiving
any investment. And I think there is only one reason for that: land has
not yet become a commodity. All the things that have been done in this
country, from leasing to sharing land, are temporary solutions that will
not solve the problem. What I am about to say is not new, but it is no
less true: land should be a commodity, it should be bought and sold, it
should have a high price and it should be mortgageable for credit. And
it is also clear that we should legally protect our national heritage from
being wasted, such as providing reasonable limits on land purchases by
foreigners and other protective measures. Then our land will begin to work
and make Ukraine one of the most prosperous countries in the world.

Even now any [former] collective farm, any collective agricultural enterprise
is ready to give itself over to anyone who will pay wages, supply fuel
and seed, etc. And what will change if we legalize the sale of land? It
will receive a true master and feed the nation without begging for subsidies,
which it now does."

 

 

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