Our "golden" roads will become "diamond" ones - Viktor Medved on draft law 6422

The Cabinet of Ministers proposes to the Verkhovna Rada to speed up the expropriation of land for road construction.
The draft law has already been registered in the Verkhovna Rada. The decision to alienate a land plot for the construction of roads, bridges, and overpasses will be made by executive authorities or local governments. The reason may be public need. The review period is proposed to be reduced by six times, to a month. Viktor Medvid, director of the William Invest Expert consulting company, human rights activist, and economist, explained what is wrong with the government's initiative.

Viktor Medvid: Our "golden" roads will become "diamond" roads if this law is adopted. The reason is that the actual expropriation of land plots may lead to claims for compensation for damages. In the Kyiv region, for example, many logistics centers and other facilities are planned on the ring road. There are already prepayments for these facilities. The amount of damage can reach hundreds of millions of dollars.

This law will not speed up construction.
Local authorities can offer similar plots to replace the alienated ones. This takes time: preparation of project documentation, work of specialists. A month is not enough. So decisions will be appealed. The state budget is responsible for compensation.

Executive authorities or local governments should find and prepare options for replacing the land.
This would eliminate litigation and reduce the burden on the budget. It would be more realistic and concrete.

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