Privatization of Agricultural Land — Forms and Implementing Bodies
Agricultural land held in state ownership is disposed of under a special regime. The law distinguishes the following forms of its privatization: auction; direct sale; direct sale on the basis of competitive selection; direct sale of a leased parcel; and free transfer into ownership.
The distribution of implementing bodies is equally clear: auction-form privatization of an unleased parcel is carried out by the property manager. Direct sale and direct sale on the basis of competitive selection of an unleased parcel are implemented on the basis of a decision of the Government of Georgia, while direct sale of a leased parcel is again carried out by the property manager. Direct sale is possible only in the cases provided for by a Government decree.
Border territories carry an additional safeguard: a special decision on the privatization of individual parcels located in the 500-metre border strip defined by the Law on the State Border is taken by the Government, considering state and public interests, with the preliminary consent of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. An obligatory rule of order is the determination of the parcel category — disposal without a determined category is impermissible. Agricultural land means a parcel of pasture, hayfield, arable or household-plot category that is used or can be used for that purpose.