site.btaPresident Challenges Constitutionality of Amendments to Agricultural Land Conservation Act

President Rumen Radev asked the Constitutional Court to declare as unconstitutional amendments to the Agricultural Land Conservation Act, which were adopted in late September through amendments to the Energy from Renewable Sources Act, the President's Press Secretariat said on Monday.

Radev argued that by removing almost all restrictions to the building of facilities to generate energy from renewable sources on arable land, the new provisions create a risk of uncontrolled conversion of agricultural land into any type of energy plants. If the construction of wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal and biomass/biofuel power plants is permitted on high-qualify (fifth-category) land, it will be possible to change the use of most of Bulgaria's farm land and pastures.

According to the President, this is contrary to a constitutional provision which says that land is a primary national asset, and agricultural land is used only for farming. Its use may be changed only as an exception and when there is a proven need for that.