Romania's National Forestry Authority, Romsilva, is set to purchase over 4,000 hectares of forest land in Neamț County from Romanian-Swiss businessman Eric Ioan Sturdza for EUR 22 million, Profit.ro reported. 

This acquisition, approved by Romsilva's Board of Directors this summer, awaits final government authorisation. 

The forested area lies adjacent to Ceahlău National Park, giving the state pre-emptive rights as the land borders public property within the national forest fund. The transaction involves five parcels of land in Grințieș and Ceahlău, registered in Neamț County's land registries. 

Romsilva's valuation, conducted by the Suceava Forest Guard, assessed the purchase at roughly EUR 21 million, or EUR 5,234 per hectare, close to the businessman's asking price.

Funding for the EUR 22 million purchase will primarily come from the state budget, with around EUR 21 million allocated by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, while Romsilva's internal resources will cover the remaining amount and related taxes. 

This acquisition represents nearly a third of the total land Romsilva has acquired since 1990. According to official records, the National Forestry Authority has purchased around 12,191 hectares over the past 35 years, including forest and agricultural land.

The Sturdza family, prominent landholders in Valea Bistriței, Neamț, regained thousands of hectares of forested land through restitution following the communist regime's fall.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Alin Neamțu/Dreamstime.com)