In numerous cities and municipalities throughout Serbia, bids for the lease of state-owned fields are being collected, and the Agricultural Land Administration has published a “guide” on how to lease or use state-owned agricultural land.
State-owned agricultural land, by the way, is leased and used on the basis of the right of first refusal and through public bidding.
The right to lease and use state-owned agricultural land can be exercised by natural and legal persons who are holders or members of registered farms with the fulfillment of additional legal conditions depending on the basis of lease and use for which they are interested, according to a document signed by c. d. Director of the Agricultural Land Administration Branko Lakic.
In order for a natural or legal person to exercise the right of first refusal of state agricultural land, it is necessary to apply for a public invitation issued by the local self-government unit (LGU).
Cities and municipalities announce a public call for proving the right of pre-emption for the next agro-economic year by June 30 of the current year, and applications for the public call with the necessary documentation are submitted no later than October 31 of the current year.
When the procedure of leasing land on the basis of the right of first refusal is completed, the local self-government, with the prior consent of the Agricultural Land Administration, announces an announcement for leasing state agricultural land.
In the text published on the website of the Administration, the procedure is explained in detail, and who, under what conditions, can be the tenant of state fields. Also, in order to use a neglected state-owned agricultural land that has not been used for at least the last three agro-economic years, the Law prescribes the possibility of giving this land for use free of charge to persons who have a registered agricultural farm for up to five years to put that land into the function of agricultural production.
After the expiration of that period, it is possible to get the land for use for 25 years, provided that agricultural production is performed on it for areas less than 10 hectares, ie provided that the user obtains the approval of the Ministry of Investment Works on the same land for areas larger than 10 hectares, Dnevnik reports.
