OREANDA-NEWS. September 09, 2011. President Viktor Yanukovych demands taking all measures necessary to stop the stealing of land in our country, he said at today’s meeting of the Economic Reforms Committee. "While we are engaged in developing land reform, the system continues to steal land through various schemes ... The people hear that the reform proclaimed, but see extortion and corruption continue," Viktor Yanukovych said.

The President instructed the Attorney General's Office to control the process, so that until the introduction of land market this shameful practice was stopped.

President Yanukovych noted that it is now necessary to focus on making the inventory of state and municipal property. He instructed Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka to initiate a comprehensive checkup of the existing land cadaster database for violations of land property rights.

Viktor Yanukovych also drew attention to the issue of delimitation of state and municipal property. He recalled that a year ago he had instructed the Government and local administration heads to jointly get over with the matter by June this year. "Yet, only two percent have been delimited... The appropriate land management documents have not been prepared. There is a real risk that the process of delimitation will not be completed by the time of scheduled introduction of agricultural land market," Viktor Yanukovych said.

The President demanded to develop urgently the amendments to the Law of Ukraine On the Delimitation of State and Municipal Property in order to simplify the procedure and complete it by the end of this year.

Viktor Yanukovych also noted he receives numerous citizens’ complains about them being unable to get state land certificates for several years, although they have all the relevant documents filed – all due to some officials withholding the certificates awaiting for a bribe.

Viktor Yanukovych instructed State Land Agency Chairman Serhiy Tymchenko to take steps to stop this shameful practice, and the Prosecutor General – to check the legality and grounds of certificate issuing delays at the State Land Agency for more than three months. "At the same time, I would like to warn against hasty action to perform the plan fast at the expense of the quality of work," he said.

Viktor Yanukovych also stressed the importance of explaining the land reform to citizens. "We need to conduct a large-scale explanatory work among the population to carry out the land reform,” he said