Steven N.The government is counting on 300 billion Ft. (US $776 million) in revenue in next year’s budget from the sale of state-owned real estate under the Ministry of Agriculture, writes Népszava. Experts claim that the ministry will only be able to raise this amount with forestry farm assets or national park land, or if not only private persons, but agricultural companies are also able to purchase state land, which is currently being leased to them.
An agricultural expert desiring anonymity told the newspaper that the government was planning to launch a new program called “Land for Farmers” with 480,000 hectares of national park land.
Zoltán Gőgös, a former state secretary in this area between 2006-2010 in the MSZP government, pointed out that the government previously tried to sell off property in Hungary’s national parks, but the Constitutional Court intervened and blocked the deal. However, he told Népszava he was no longer certain that the current Constitutional Court would make the same ruling today. [Magyar Narancs]
