Bulgaria and five other EU countries asked Brussels for additional support because of the import of Ukrainian agricultural products

Providing financial support to farmers is an important tool, but it does not solve the problems of farmers, for which the European Commission must develop specific measures as a matter of urgency (to address the problem of importing agricultural products from Ukraine, ed.). The Minister of Agriculture Yavor Gechev united around this today during an online meeting with his colleagues from Poland, Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the Ministry of Agriculture announced.

"We all stand in solidarity with Ukraine, we support the initiatives of the European Commission, but we need guarantees that the so-called corridors of solidarity fulfill the functions for which they were created," Yavor Gechev emphasized. He recalled that, besides everything, we are on the threshold of the new harvest, while at the same time there are still large quantities of cereals in the warehouses. "The collection of the new harvest will lead to an escalation of the situation, therefore concrete measures are needed in a short period of time," the Bulgarian minister also said.

Participants in the meeting said they continue to press for action by the EC and fully support the demands sent by the heads of state and government of the countries affected by the disruption to the agricultural market to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

During the meeting, it became clear that 1,500 tons of wheat with a proven content of EU-banned pesticides were seized in Slovakia. Earlier this month, Hungary seized and destroyed more than 29 tons of toxin- and GMO-laden corn. We remind you that Bulgaria also carries out enhanced quality and safety checks on the import of agricultural products, the Ministry of Agriculture also wrote in its announcement. 

The ministers of the six most affected countries have agreed that at the upcoming Agriculture Council on April 25 in Luxembourg the topic will be raised again. They will work towards holding a special meeting with the European Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, in order to find a lasting solution in favor of the affected European farmers from the countries in the immediate vicinity of the conflict.