P.M.Victor Ponta: Parks and green spaces, not to be returned; pastureland, only through referendum

Parks and green spaces are not to be returned under any circumstance and returned schools and hospitals cannot change their destination for ten years, Prime Minister Victor Ponta told Parliament.

At the same time, he pointed out that pastureland could only be returned following a referendum in the local communities in question.

'There are situations specially or separately regulated, the returned schools and hospitals cannot change their destination for ten years, they must continue to function as schools and hospitals. It is the Government's duty, together with the local authorities, in the coming ten years to find solutions either for buying those buildings or for buying other buildings. Parks and green spaces cannot be returned under any circumstance. There is a legal solution much debated with parliamentarians, with local authorities' representatives referring to pastureland. Pastureland can no longer be returned, there are plots of land extremely important to the life of a rural community, which can no longer be returned, except for the case in which there is an approval of the Agriculture Ministry, based on a referendum in the local community. If the members of the local community do not agree, the pastureland cannot be returned and there will be a financial compensation,' the Government head underscored.

Moreover, he showed, the forests to be returned, the forest areas will be submitted to a strict regime - the Forest Code.

'The amendments to the Forest Code will be presented by the Government in the coming period, to ensure the legit right to ownership of the private owner does not lead to the destruction of the forest areas, but to their preservation and rational exploitation, in accordance with the national heritage preservation law,' the Prime Minister showed.

On the other hand, all available plots of land in the public fund will be capitalised, for those who cannot receive the properties in question in kind to be able to participate in point auctions and obtain an equivalent compensation.

Victor Ponta underscored that the point system was discussed with ECHR experts, accepted by them and found compatible with the European standards. Each point worth one leu would provide the possibility of buying lands from the public fund or of receiving financial compensations.

'The law provides clear terms. There have been parliamentarians with experience in the area (...) who proposed extremely useful notes and amendments for the terms provided by law to be clear and give a certainty referring to the manner and the period for conducting the procedures, the Prime Minister added.

As concerns the financial compensations, the chief of Government pointed out that 14,000 beneficiaries already having a compensation deed, but not having received anything since 2011, as the stocks in Proprietatea Fund had been exhausted, would receive the compensations in five years, the others in seven years, and the assignees would only get 15 percent of the difference between the price paid to the owner and the compensation value.