site.btaAgriculture Minister Taneva Reiterates Cabinet Has Taken All Possible Measures against Spreading of African Swine Fever

104 ECONOMY-AFRICAN SWINE FEVER

Agriculture Minister Taneva
Reiterates Cabinet Has Taken All Possible Measures
against Spreading of African Swine Fever


Sofia, August 4 (BTA) - Agriculture and Food Minister Dessislava Taneva wrote in a Facebook post that the Bulgarian government has taken all possible measures to contain the spreading of African Swine Fever (ASF). Taneva also rejected five proposed measures against ASF of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the main one of which is for the State to use part of the budget surplus to purchase at market prices backyard-raised pigs. Taneva says in her post that it does no justice to the BSP to try to win voters in such a hard crisis.

Local elections are to take place in Bulgaria at the end of October.

Taneva also says that ASF has hit many countries in Western Europe and in other parts of the world. She recalls that Spain needed 30 years to eradicate the disease.

The Minister also says that the government is doing everything possible to mitigate the damages form the ASF outbreak, with the least possible detriment to people. Taneva says that 4.5 million leva have been allocated for disinfection and cleaning works in backyard sties. She notes that this is the only possible support as backyard sties are unregistered.

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A protest rally against the mandatory slaughtering of backyard-raised pigs was held in the village of Mramor near Sofia on Sunday. The protestors are set to continue the rally on Monday as well. They argue that it is unwise to slaughter healthy pigs which are fattened to be used for food for the household that raises them. LY/ZH//