site.btaEU Inspectors to Check Ovine Rinderpest Control Effort in Bulgaria

Sofia, July 16 (BTA) - The European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety will conduct an inspection in Bulgaria between July 17 and 21, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) reported on Monday. The inspectors will look into the BFSA's work in controlling an outbreak of ovine rinderpest in the country.

Around 4,000 sheep and goats have been culled so far in the southeastern Bulgarian regions of Bourgas and Yambol due to the ovine rinderpest outbreak. The large-scale effort has met with fierce protests by farmers.

Speaking in the northern town of Veliko Turnovo on Monday, Vice President Iliana Iotova said: "The culling of animals in Southern Bulgaria is like punitive action in the eyes of the people. I will not comment on the subject now because the most important thing is to guarantee the health of the people in those areas. I will wait for the European inspection but the sad thing is that I have had the feeling that the government has been absent these days. Such a crisis warrants even an extraordinary sitting of Parliament to hear out the ministers, the BFSA leadership or at least the competent parliamentary committee."

By order of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, an emergency centre was set up on Sunday to coordinate the suppression of ovine rinderpest.

Ovine rinderpest (also known as peste des petits ruminants, or PPR) was first reported in Yambol Region on June 21. That was the first time that the disease had been detected within the territory of Bulgaria and of the European Union. Ovine rinderpest is present in neighbouring Turkey, but it is unclear how the disease has reached Bulgarian territory.

Ovine rinderpest is not dangerous for humans but is extremely dangerous for goats and sheep.