Hungary: No More Farmland for Foreigner | European Journal

Hungary holds the Presidency of the European Union. But it is currently risking conflict with the EU. It has forbidden sales of agricultural land to foreigners.When negotiating its accession to the European Union, Hungary agreed to liberalize the purchase of agricultural land. But now the government in Budapest wants to keep farmland from being sold to foreigners. With a Law on the National Stock of Land, it controls private sales of fields, meadows, and forests. Many farmers, especially from Austria, had bought such land and now feel cheated. They were counting on seeing their pocket contracts legalized.