Bulgarian Parliament Adopts Swap Deals with State Forest Lands

Bulgarian MPs allowed swap deals with state forest properties. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarian Parliament has adopted at second reading amendments to the Forest Act, which allow swap deals of state forest lands with private forest properties.

The amendments envision that state forest lands that are assessed as more than BGN 100,000 will be allowed to be swapped with private forest properties only with the permission of the cabinet, following a suggestion by the agriculture minister.

Swap deals will be allowed only in case they are a way to fulfill obligations under an international contract. The other condition is the deal to be necessary for the construction of projects with national importance or municipal facilities of primary significance.

It will not be allowed to swap properties when there is a 5% difference in the value of the two territories.

The MPs rejected the suggestion of Petar Kurumbashev from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and Mihail Mihaylov from the rightist Blue Coalition, who stated that the swaps should be allowed only for neighboring territories.

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