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Agriculture : MEP Buda: 43 pct of Romanian farmland foreign-owned, looming risk we become 'berry-pickers' in our own land
More than 40 percent of Romania's farmland is held by foreign citizens and the Romanians run the risk of becoming "berry pickers in their own land," MEP Daniel Buda told a press conference held on Tuesday at the seat of the National Liberal Party's Bistrita-Nasaud branch.
In Buda's opinion, the high share of foreign-owned farmland result in higher imports of agricultural produce.
"Romania is given as an example in the European Parliament as regards the sale of farmland: 43 percent is in the hands of foreigners. I am a Professor of Law and I tell you this: I am the landowner and today I farm that land with what I please, if I please. (...) But as of tomorrow I decide to no longer grow anything in Romania and you'll have to eat only what I produce in Germany, the Netherlands or elsewhere. This is where the issue resides, that the land will remain unfarmed and you'll have to eat only what I provide you from outside the country. And you cannot enter that land either, because it's mine," Buda explained.
The MEP considers the sale of landed property to foreigners pertains to national security and if not properly regulated, it will turn the Romanians into "berry pickers in their own land".
Asked whether such legislation could trigger an infringement procedure against Romania, as in the case of Hungary, the MEP replied that in order to deflect reproaches, a model with restrictions as already applied in the Western European states could be adopted.
The MEP added that currently most agricultural subsidies reach companies owned by non-EU shareholders because "the top 10 companies that collect subsidies are not from the European Union, they are Lebanese, Chinese, others. Practically we export subsidies outside the EU," Buda said.
In the opinion of the MEP, a clear definition of the active farmer is required for subsidies to no longer get into the hands of land brokers, but to those who actually work the land.