Social and Legal Studios
ISSN 2617-4162
e-ISSN 2617-4170
Publisher: Lviv State University of Internal Affairs
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify systemic problems of legal regulation of land relations in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The study employed a combination of institutional and systemic approaches to comprehensively consider land relations as a single regulatory system that combines legal provisions, socio-economic mechanisms, and administrative practices. The study revealed substantial disproportions in the access of various categories of land users to land resources, where only 6% of allocated plots are held by small farms, while large agricultural holdings, having extensive financial resources and professional legal support, have preferential access to land resources. Systemic shortcomings in land use control mechanisms were identified, including the lack of a unified electronic land cadastre platform and limited access to information on available land plots, which creates preconditions for corruption risks and non-transparent resource allocation. The study identified problems with insufficient integration of environmental requirements into land use practices, which leads to soil degradation, as well as ineffective mechanisms of liability for violations of environmental standards due to the difficulty of proving violations and the length of court procedures. A separate problem is the limited role of local communities in land management processes and the lack of transparency in land allocation procedures for social needs, which creates preconditions for social tension. Based on a comparative analysis of the practices of other states (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia) and recommendations of international organisations, the study developed comprehensive proposals for improving legal regulation, including creation of open registers and public cadastres to ensure broad public access to information on land plots; introduction of electronic services to simplify procedures for obtaining and registering land; strengthening the role of local communities through public control mechanisms; and establishing clear criteria for foreign investors’ access to land resources. The proposed measures are aimed at ensuring greater social justice and economic efficiency in the field of land relations in Kazakhstan, while the findings obtained can serve as a basis for further improvement of legal regulation in this area and development of mechanisms for digital transformation of land administration
Keywords: agricultural holdings; community; public administration; environmental safety; investment attractiveness
Suggested citation
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