site.btaEU Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Hogan Visits Bulgaria

EU Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Hogan  Visits Bulgaria

Sofia, July 10 (BTA) - Within his official visit to Bulgaria, EU
 Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan had
meetings with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and President Rosen
Plevneliev.

"We hope to receive assistance and understanding from the
European Commission about the losses sustained from Russia's
counter-sanctions regarding our dairy products, fruit and
vegetables," Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said emerging from
talks with Hogan. The two discussed the issue in detail. "The
European Commission will be familiarized and we hope about
assistance in this sector so that our producers would not go
bankrupt," Borissov added.

On his part, Commissioner Hogan said that he has understood very
 well the problems and considerations shared with him. Measures
should be taken, so that Bulgaria does not suffer from the
Russian embargo, particularly in the dairy sector, any longer,
the Commissioner noted.

Commissioner Hogan also said that, in the near future, his
employees are expected to visit Bulgaria and carry out talks on
how measures should be introduced to promote exports of
Bulgarian produce on new markets. The sides discussed practical
measures that can be implemented in order to achieve a tangible
effect in the short term, Hogan noted. He voiced readiness to
allocate higher amount of money to assist the Bulgarian
authorities in finding new market opportunities, which is
preferable to using intervention instruments.

Neutralizing of the negative effects on the Bulgarian
agriculture stemming from the Russian embargo in the import of
farm produce from the EU featured on the agenda of the talks
between President Plevneliev and Commissioner Hogan, the
President's Press Secretariat said.   

The President gave assurances that Bulgaria will keep on being a
 worthy partner of the European Commission and an active
participant in the formation of the common policies of the EU.

"In the conditions of several crises, going on in regions,
adjacent to Southeast Europe, it is very important for the
Bulgarian citizens and farmers to see that the European
institutions are efficient and that the   European solidarity
reaches them," President Plevneliev stated.

The guest confirmed that the European Commission has been
discussing extension of the measures for assisting affected
countries and protection of farmers. The new Rural Development
Programme creates possibilities for support of producers that
will also promote exports to third markets, Hogan noted.   

The two interlocutors were unanimous that the countries from
South East Europe should use fully the Junker Plan for an
integrated regional approach in the financing and implementation
 of joint projects in the water and energy sectors which are of
key importance for the development of agriculture.