The owners of farmland will have the right to build on this agritourist pensions without changing the purpose of the land on condition that the land owner has been involved in farming for at least five years. This is provided in a bill to amend the Land Code that was passed by MPs in the first reading, IPN reports.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Vasile Luca said the bill enables the owners of farmland to build tourist accommodation facilities in rural areas without changing the purpose of the land. Moreover, one of the conditions is for the menus intended for tourists to include products grown on the given farmland.

Vasile Luca noted that the opening of agritourist pensions will enable to create jobs in rural areas in the non-agricultural sector. A condition for these pensions is to ensure a three-star level of comfort and service quality. Also, at least one agricultural activity, such as animal breeding, cultivation of different types of plans and fruit growing, should be carried out within the agritourist pension.

In the debates in Parliament, some of the MPs opposed introducing the condition of at least five years of farming as this places obstacles to foreign investors who would like to start businesses in Moldova.

Vasile Luca replied that the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment considers the five-year term is enough for showing that the land owners really intends to perform agricultural activities and the goal of the project – to enable to carry out activities as an alternative to agricultural ones – will be thus achieved. In such circumstances, the imposed term will reduce the risk of simulating farming with the aim of practicing tourist activities.