In Poland, concerns grew after a surge in land and forest land sales to foreign buyers were noted under the current government. Members of the Polish coalition club PSL, UED, and conservatives, including Jarosław Rzepa, Stefan Krajewski, and Krzysztof Paszyk, urged the Ministry of Interior and Administration to publish precise, itemized reports detailing who has purchased how much land. They spoke on Thursday about the need for transparency regarding foreign ownership and the overall scale of these transactions.
Experts and politicians have highlighted a perception that land sales to foreigners have intensified during the PiS administration. Krzysztof Paszyk described the government as highly effective at transferring Polish land into foreign hands during a press conference at the Sejm, urging the ministry to provide a thorough breakdown. Referring to the ministry’s latest report, Jarosław Rzepa noted that since 2015, when the PiS government took power, the sale of forest and agricultural land to non-Polish buyers has risen steadily. He cited a figure for 2022 of 5,119 hectares, emphasizing the growing trend.
Rzepa reminded listeners that when the PO-PSL coalition ended in 2015, 412 hectares had already been sold to foreigners. This stark contrast underscored the politicians’ concern that Polish land is increasingly moving into foreign ownership. The PSL representative called for the Minister of Interior and Administration to conduct comprehensive checks and to present a precise list of buyers and the amounts involved.
Stefan Krajewski added that the available data show the bulk of purchases being made by companies registered in Luxembourg and Cyprus, raising questions about the entities behind these acquisitions. He expressed uncertainty about whether these buyers are citizens of Luxembourg or Cyprus, or individuals connected to Eastern markets, and urged clarification. The deputy argued that such explanations are essential because PiS has a strategy to appeal to rural voters, which could create the impression of defending the Polish countryside while the facts tell a different story.
Leszek Galemba, the deputy chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development for PiS, responded to the PSL allegations by labeling them false and unfounded. He asserted that farmland sales to foreigners have not occurred in the manner described. According to Galemba, any sales to foreign investors are intended to attract large-scale investments that create jobs, and such initiatives are often facilitated by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki as part of broader economic policy.
Wasik’s reply
Deputy Minister Maciej Wąsik addressed the PSL’s claims, also turning his attention to recent statements by opposition figure Kosiniak-Kamysz. On social media, Wąsik noted past and present actions: in 2022, PiS reportedly allowed foreigners to buy 30 hectares of farmland, while in 2014 the PO-PSL government permitted the purchase of 1,030 hectares. The question posed by Wąsik centered on which government was responsible for expanding or restricting foreign ownership during these periods.
Wąsik recalled that PSL negotiated the accession treaty that opened up farmland trade to EU citizens in 2016. He argued that it was only the PiS government that introduced rules granting preferential rights to Polish farmers, and asserted that the Interior and Administration Ministry approved foreign purchases only up to 30 hectares of land by non-EU buyers. These points were presented as part of a broader defense of PiS policy and its stated goals to support Polish agriculture while balancing investor interest.
The public debate centers on how land transactions are recorded, who the buyers are, and what implications these ownership patterns have for the Polish countryside and national sovereignty. Proponents of stricter oversight call for transparent, verifiable data that clearly show the identity of purchasers and the scale of acquisitions, ensuring that policy is aligned with the interests of local communities and farmers. Critics of the current approach warn that ambiguous ownership chains can mask real beneficiaries and hinder accountability. The exchange underscores the political sensitivity around land ownership, regional development, and the safety net for agricultural livelihoods across Poland.
These discussions reflect a broader tension between market openness and national policy aims, with rural voters watching closely how land policy will unfold in the coming years. The conversation continues to evolve as ministries compile and publish more detailed, publicly accessible data on land transactions and ownership structures, offering a clearer picture of who holds Polish land and how it is being utilized.