Roundtable in Nalchik claims failure of FZ-131 and land reform

The participants of the roundtable, held on November 7 in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, have stated that the republic failed with the land reform and to fulfil the Federal Law FZ-131 "On General Principles of Local Self-Government in the Russian Federation", according to which, the land should have been transferred to rural communities.

As reported by Dalkhat Baidaev, the head of the public organization "Peasants' Front", the land was transferred into the ownership of district municipalities, whose bosses are completely dependent on the authorities. According to Baidaev, district authorities are "an unnecessary link", and by abolishing them, the government can save a lot of budgetary funds.

Ibragim Yaganov, the head of the organization named "Khase", believes that ordinary farmers in the republic are in a critical position. In the village of Nartan, where Yaganov lives, the majority of farmers are near the end of their seven-year term of land lease. The local authorities have announced that lease won't be extended. The land previously rented farmers, covering an area of 1200 hectares and more, will be handed over to the builders of a racecourse and a golf club.

The roundtable adopted a resolution stating an urgent need to enforce the FZ-131, distribute the land by shares and abolition the authorities of the municipal district level. The resolution will be sent to bodies of power.