According to the Legislative Package on the ownership of agricultural land, foreign citizens, without any exceptions, are not allowed to own the agricultural land in Georgia.
Regarding legal entities though, the ownership can be gained by those who dominant partner is Georgian, meaning those who own more than 50%. Legislative talks about the exceptions as well. For example, foreign individual might have the agricultural land based on inheritance.
Author of the legislative package and the Chair of Agrarian Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, Otar Danelia commented on the legislative package after discussions in the social media. Danelia stated that there are exceptions in regards to ethnical Georgians who are living abroad, and not those who are the foreign citizens in general.
“We are talking about Georgians, immigrants, who have changed their citizenship. There are over million migrants, which we have to return to Georgia. Priorities are given to the citizens of Georgia.
When we say ‘passed by inheritance’, we mean when for example, the younger member of the family goes to Germany and receives the citizenship of Germany. He/she has the right to return and own the land of the family, because of being ethnically Georgian. That is why we are talking about these people. There are no other exceptions in regards to individuals with foreign citizenship”, stated Danelia.
Legislative package also talks about the responsibilities of the individuals receiving the land by inheritance.
“In case they don’t use it, individuals would have to give away the land. Legal entities would have to do the same in case they don’t meet the obligations taken by investment plan. In case such actions are not taken, the land will go to the state ownership”, reads the explanatory note of the legislative package.
The package also suggests that the land can be passed to the foreign citizens with investment conditions, in case the Government of Georgia approves such decision.
