Press release of the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic “The state has launched the purchase of land in national parks from the recovery and resilience plan for almost €68 million”, Bratislava, July 12, 2023
The Ministry of the Environment has launched a web application enabling the sale of land in national parks to the state. Through the ponukavykupupozemkov.sk website, owners can offer their land in a protected area without obligation. They can also determine the price themselves, the commission will decide on the final purchase from the submitted non-binding offers in September 2023. Almost €68 million from the recovery and resilience plan has been allocated for the purchase of suitable land. Submission of bids in the first round is open until August 31, 2023.
“National parks need clear rules and predictability. And it is the purchase of land in national parks and their management by the state that is one of the solutions to ensure more effective protection of rare sites and at the same time prevent disputes over protected areas,” said Milan Chrenko, Minister of the Environment.
According to the head of the Environment Ministry, the online offer of the land itself is voluntary and does not result in any obligations for the owners. The ministry will detect potential interest in the sale, on the contrary, the owners will receive feedback at the end of the call whether the state will buy their land.
“Thanks to the recovery plan, national parks in Slovakia have gained legal personality and for the first time they can actively engage in the development of the region. In the interest of their long-term development and the preservation of the natural heritage of our country, the state is interested in buying land on their territory so that the national parks form a single unit. The goal of the recovery plan is therefore to buy almost 24 thousand hectares of land in national parks by the end of 2025. Such a sale of land by citizens is voluntary and depends on their decision,” added Deputy Prime Minister Lívia Vašáková.
The advantage of the application is that the owner of the land has the opportunity to offer his land conveniently and quickly, without filling out unnecessary forms. The application communicates with publicly available information from the cadastre. For owners, it is enough to log in to the ponukavykupupozemkov.sk website and enter their personal data (name, surname, date of birth).
The sale itself is voluntary, it will take place only after the offer has been approved and the contract with the owner has been signed. During September 2023, the evaluation of bids will begin, which will last during September and October. The decision will be made by a commission composed of representatives of the Ministry of the Environment and the Value for Money Unit. The goal of the environment ministry is to buy 12,000 hectares of land in protected areas by the end of the year.
“We want to meet the needs of owners who are already considering selling. In addition to the application itself, however, we continue with purchases in the standard way, through the state’s right of pre-emption. It is of utmost importance to the ministry that the owners receive a fair, legal offer. At the same time, the state should get ownership of land on which nature protection will be a priority and will not be a restriction for owners,” added State Secretary Katarína Butkovská.
The call from the restoration plan aims to make the care of natural resources in national parks more effective, with minimizing the administrative impacts on owners. National parks will thus take over the protection of natural heritage.
The Ministry of the Environment considers functioning national parks to be a key pillar for the sustainable development of the entire region. This is underlined by the experience of both Slovakia and the surrounding countries. An example is the Slovak Paradise National Park, which has become part of the regional tourism organization and is an attractive tourist destination for foreign tourists.
From abroad, the Šumava National Park is an example of positive impacts. According to a study of socio-economic benefits, the park has brought direct effects to the region worth almost €32 million for the provision of tourist products and services in the accommodation, catering, transport, retail and other sectors.
