Georgian Law of the Government Republic of Georgia about arable land reform in the Republic of Georgia

GEORGIAN LAW Decree N 48 of the Government of the Republic of Georgia January 18, 1992 ABOUT ARABLE LAND REFORM IN THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA In order to increase personal allotments, food production, to develop a free­ market relation in agriculture sector, the government of the Republic of Georgia has resolved: 1. All land with in the Republic of Georgia is a national wealth and property of the Republic of Georgia. 2. Only the citizens of the Republic of Georgia have a legal right of ownership, possession or using of land. Non-citizens have a legal right of non-regular using of land only. 3. The former owners or their successors (heirs) receive a land on a common basis. As far as possible they receive their former plots of land within determined limits. 4. State lands by their purposes is divided on a land reform fund and state land fund. State land fund includes land lots engaged by: experimental stations, educational and scientific institutes, seed-farms, cattle-breeding and poultry farms, hot-houses; recreation lands; high-specialized farm; farm specialized in strategic forage, industrial crops, cereals productions; reserve funds purposed for people who are suffered from natural cala·mities, disasters; lands usable for cottages construction; cities and their suburbs zones; state border zone. 5. The citizens of the Republic of Georgia receive plots of land with no pay according to prescribed standards of size. GEORGIAN LAW Each family receive allotments till maximum standard size is reached with no pay. Each family pays the cost of perennials. 6. Village residents or their successors (heirs) as well as persons wishing to work the land have a priority to receive deserted lands in their property, possession or use. 7. Village former residents receive allotments in their ownership if they have inherited house or part of it. The same principle is in force for other legal types of village house (cottage) owners. 8. To increase food production the following categories receive plots of land: village residents, who work in agriculture sector; village residents, who does not work in agriculture sector. Cities residents will be provided allotments according to prescribed limits, but after village residents only. 9. Irrelevant of ownership form, there are all types of agriculture production may exist: private farms, cooperatives, state farms, small enterprises, stock companies, associations, etc. 10. To found land reform state committee of the Republic of Georgia in order to realize land reform. 11. Local authorities make a decision to grant allotments, then this decision has to be ratified and confirmed by regional (municipal) authorities and, finally, by land reform state committee special document, which is to be notarized. That decision is to be fixed in land ledger 12. The questions of changing of owners and other problems related with land owning are to be solved according to Land Code. 13. The use of land is taxable in the Republic of Georgia. Instead of all present taxes there is established one annual land tax, which is obligatory for all food producers. 14. Wood industry ministry, food industry ministry, land reform state committee, ministries of economy and finance, ministry of justice, the Board of Agriculture Academy, National Bank, Agriculture Union must during 1 month develop a legislation in the following spheres: land reform in the Republic of Georgia; farms in the Republic of Georgia; GEORGIAN LAW agriculture cooperatives in the Republic of Georgia; state agriculture firms(farms) in the Republic of Georgia; leasing in agriculture sector; state land funds and land reform funds in regions of the Republic of Georgia; determining of marginal limits of land size for personal allotments and cottage plots; determining of marginal limits of land size for personal allotments and cottage plots for one family; founding of land bank; established of an unified land tax and price; privatisation of state farms. 15. Controversial points arising from present Decree are settled in the court.