Bali, Indonesia Sentinel — A German national, Andrej Frey (53), has been arrested over land misuse in Gianyar, Bali. Frey, the head of the Parq Ubud development, commonly referred to as the “Russian Village”, allegedly misused the land to construct a sprawling 1.8-hectare tourism complex.
According to Bali Police Chief Daniel Adityajaya, the properties were located in zones designated for protected rice fields (Zone 1 LSD), sustainable agricultural land (LP2B), plantations (Zone 3), and tourism. Despite these restrictions, the Parq Ubud complex includes villas, a spa center, and an animal farm currently under construction.
“These lands underwent an illegal conversion from sustainable agricultural purposes,” Adityajaya said during a press briefing at Bali Police Headquarters in Denpasar on Friday, January 24, as reported by CNN Indonesia.
Authorities discovered he controlled 34 land ownership certificates (SHM) belonging to local residents in Tegallalang, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali.
Loss of Productive Land
Frey has been charged with criminal violations for unauthorized land conversion and misuse in Bali. Police investigations, which began in November 2024, involved interviews with 33 witnesses and three experts, including local government officials, village leaders, and landowners.
The misappropriation has resulted in the loss of 1.845 hectares of productive land, a significant portion of Gianyar’s total 1,752 hectares of farmland, Adityajaya noted.
Frey is identified as the director of multiple companies linked to the project, including PT Parq Ubud Partners, PT Tomorrow Land Development Bali, and PT Alfa Management Bali.
“Russian Village” Permanently Closed
Parq Ubud, dubbed the “Russian Village” due to its popularity among Russian expatriates, had already drawn scrutiny. The complex was temporarily sealed by Gianyar’s Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) in November 2024 for operating without proper permits.
On January 20, 2025, authorities permanently closed the site, citing violations of local zoning laws and regulations. “The closure adhered to both national laws and Gianyar Regency’s local regulations. Several procedural steps were followed before the final decision,” said I Ketut Pasek Lanang Sadia, Assistant for General Administration at the Gianyar Regency Secretariat.
Footage of the closure, carried out by Satpol PP, went viral on social media, showing heated moments during the operation to seal off the property.
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The case highlights ongoing tensions in Bali between tourism development and the preservation of its agricultural heritage, a cornerstone of the island’s identity and economy.
(Raidi/Agung)
