Suburbs fail to collect millions of lei when selling land

20 hectares of farmland divided into seven plots in Budesti village of Chisinau municipality were put up for action for 2 million lei. According to Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca, the land may be sold for a price ten times higher if its purpose is changed before it is auctioned, Info-Prim Neo reports. “The practice of buying farmland located near settlements from the local administration is widely spread in Eastern Europe. We do not make an exception. Even if the legislation was adjusted so as to reduce the number of such cases and the land was managed correctly, the old trend is maintained,” said the mayor. He also said that the plots are auctioned at the price of the farmland, which is lower. They become private property and then their purpose is changed into land for construction, while the price increases ten times. In such a situation, the local public authorities suffer losses, while the persons who purchase land take advantages. Dorin Chirtoaca instructed the relevant division to send a note to the mayor’s office and the local council of Budesti and ask that the decision to auction the seven plots be reviewed and the purpose of the land be changed into land for construction, especially because it is situated in the middle of the village and is intended for construction, according to the urbanistic plan.