site.btaBulgaria Increases Control against Illegal Import of Fruit, Vegetables

Sofia, August 29 (BTA) - Control increases against potentially illegal imports of fruits and vegetables in Bulgaria,
Agriculture and Food Minister Vassil Groudev told a news conference Friday.

Finance Minister Roumen Porozhanov, who too took part in the news conference, said that there are many instances at the moment where produce is delivered by short-lived companies which disappear after a couple of weeks, so that the tax authorities cannot track them. Porozhanov said the practice seems to have increased after the Russian embargo.

The two ministers discussed Friday measures to crack down on illegal imports of goods with high fiscal risk and to improve fiscal control. The meeting was also attended by representatives of the National Revenue Agency, the National Customs Agency, and the Food Safety Agency.

The short-term control measures include increasing the physical checks of vehicles entering Bulgaria as well as checks when they unload their cargo, and checks at wholesale and retail markets.


Commenting possible compensations to farm producers for the Russian embargo, Groudev said next week he will have a meeting with the EU Agriculture Commissioner. He said that the losses arising from foiled agreements signed for export of farm produceon the Russian are expected to be between five and ten million
leva. Indirect losses are more difficult to assess, and will be calculated later, Groudev said.

The first estimates about possible illegal imports will be available after September 10.