site.btaEnvironmentalists to Stage Protest in Sofia against New Genomic Techniques

A roundtable on new genomic techniques (NGTs) and Bulgaria's position on the matter was held at the BTA National Press Club in Sofia on Friday. Participating were politicians and representatives of civil society and industry organizations. The

Environmentalists from the Public Environmental Centre for Sustainable Development (PECSD) in Varna urged Bulgaria to vote against the European Commission's proposal to abolish the regulation of plants produced with new genomic techniques. They handed over an open letter to Regional Governor Andriyana Andreeva, which she committed to forward to Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov and Environment and Water Minister Julian Popov. Ilian Iliev from the PECSD said that a Council of Environment Ministers will be held in Brussels on January 11, where the issue will be discussed and he expressed hope that Bulgaria will oppose the EC proposal.

Due to a decision of the Council of Ministers, Bulgaria will support new genomic techniques for food and feed, There Is Such a People (TISP) Floor Leader Toshko Yordanov from told journalists on the sidelines of Parliament. Prior to that, he read a declaration from the rostrum of the National Assembly on the subject of GMO foods.