The Possibility of Reporting Agricultural Land with Two Witnesses is No Longer Possible

A part of the Regulation on the Record of Agricultural Land Use that allowed farmers to report agricultural parcels for subsidies with two witnesses is no longer in effect. The amended provisions of the Regulation are expected to be signed by the Minister of Agriculture, Tomislav Tolušić, by Friday. This was stated by Minister Tolušić at a press conference held on Monday at the Ministry of Agriculture, and although he was announced, Ivan Macanić, the acting director of the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, which disburses subsidies to farmers, did not appear.

The Minister announced that the amended Regulation will henceforth require the consent of the owners and stated that a thorough investigation will be conducted into those users of agricultural subsidies who reported land based on the statements of two witnesses.

– Such a method of disposing of agricultural land is unacceptable. We will seek statements from the owners of agricultural parcels that are used by other farmers without permission. This concerns 32 thousand hectares used by 6347 family farms based on witness statements – said Minister Tolušić.

He warned that it cannot be assumed in advance that all those registered as users of parcels based on statements have abused the Regulation, as it is possible that some landowners know that another family farm is cultivating their parcel. He stated that a thorough investigation will show the level of abuse.

He called on all farmers who suspect that their land is registered in the name of another user to contact the Ministry, the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, and the Agency for Agricultural Land, and that they can also find information in the Arkod (land parcel registration system). In these two days, he said, 89 owners of agricultural parcels have come forward.

As a reason for why the director of the Agency, Macanić, did not come to the conference, the minister stated that he is already busy with meetings related to the amendment of the Regulation.