Verkhovna Rada failed to overcome a presidential veto of a law imposing a moratorium on the sale of agricultural land until January 1, 2012, but will return to this issue at a meeting Thursday.

At a meeting Tuesday, the parliament considered the President"s proposals to the Law on Amendments to the Law of the Land Code of Ukraine, extending the moratorium on the sale of agricultural land until January 1, 2012.

President returned to parliament the law to reject the proposal, but that the President"s proposal has gained 26 votes.

At the same time, parliamentarians were unable to overcome a presidential veto on the bill. "For" to overcome the veto vote 275 deputies in the 300 votes needed for adoption of effective solutions.

proposal to overcome a presidential veto supported by 168 deputies of the Party of Regions, BYuT faction of 43 deputies, 15 deputies of the faction "Our Ukraine - People"s Self-Defense, 27 deputies of the Lytvyn Bloc, 20 deputies of the Communist group and 2 individual deputies.

Parliament decided to entrust the appropriate Committee on Agrarian Policy and Land Relations to work on this law, and on Thursday to reconsider the law. "For" the proposal voted 308 deputies.

As reported at the end of 2009, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko vetoed adopted by Parliament on 22 December last year, legislation to extend until January 1, 2012 moratorium on the sale of agricultural lands. Yushchenko believes that this document restricts the constitutional rights of citizens on the ground, the right of everyone to dispose of their property. The President noted that the legislation assumes that the ban on free circulation of land will be in effect until the adoption and entry into force of the laws of the state land cadastre and land market.

President believes that the extension of a moratorium on the sale of agricultural lands can lead to further aggravation of the situation to ensure effective use and protection of land and the spread of the shadow mechanism of alienation of land, increasing the number of abuses in this area.

Constitutional Court of Ukraine in early December this year, ruled unconstitutional a law on anti-crisis measures in the agro-industrial complex, which contained a rule prohibiting the sale of agricultural lands prior to January 1, 2010. This has led to debate among legal experts about the continuing ban on the sale of agricultural lands, although the transitional provisions of the Land Code of Ukraine continues to contain provisions on such a ban before the enactment of laws on state land cadastre and land market.