Chapter IV. Protection of cultivated and cultivable land, etc.
Section 8. Protection of cultivated land

All cultivated land that can provide a basis for profitable operations shall be maintained.

The municipality 1 and the County Governor may prohibit measures that may result in poor maintenance of cultivated land. The municipality shall make recommendations concerning measures that should be implemented if land is poorly maintained or remains unused.

if the Ministry 2 finds that cultivated land is poorly maintained or unused, it may issue an order to the owner or lessee regarding the measures he shall implement in order that the land may be cultivated profitably, under the circumstances. The owner may also be ordered to lease out the land for a period of not more than ten years.

In the case of cultivated land that cannot provide a basis for profitable operations, the Ministry 2 may order that forests be planted on the land, or that measures beneficial to the cultural landscape be taken.

if the order has not been complied with upon expiry of the time-limit, the Ministry' may enter into an agreement that the land be leased out for a period of not more than ten years or make a decision to expropriate parts or all of the property in order to transfer it to others.

Orders may be issued on such conditions as are necessary for achieving the purposes of this Act.

1 Cfsection3.

2 Ministry of Agriculture pursuant to resolution no.413 of 12 May 1995
Section 9. Use of cultivated and cultivable land

Cultivated land must not be used for purposes that do not promote agricultural production. Cultivable land must not be disposed of in such a way as to render it unfit for agricultural production in the future.

The Ministry may in special cases grant an exemption if, after an overall evaluation of the circumstances, it finds that the agricultural interests should not have~priority. In so deciding, account shall be taken, among other things, of approved plans pursuant to the Planning and Building Act 1, operational or environmental disadvantages for agriculture in the area, the cultural landscape and the benefit to society that would result from land being disposed of for another purpose. Account shall also be taken of whether the land can be restored to agricultural production. The presentation of alternative solutions may be required.

Consent to dispose of land for another purpose may be given on such conditions as are necessary for achieving the purposes of this Act.

The exemption shall lapse if efforts to use the land for the purpose in question have not commenced within three years after the decision was made.

The Ministry 2 may order that illegal installations or buildings be removed.

Don't know what this all means in practice.


She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre