Over BGN 700,000 will be the compensation for the herd that must be euthanized in Velingrad. This was announced to NOVA by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Assoc. Deyan Stratev.
This situation is unpleasant for everyone, I call to continue the talks with the owners of the animals in order to clean up the outbreak and for them to receive their compensations, urged Stratev.
He explained that the disinfection will be undertaken by the state. According to him, if the herd is not destroyed, the EC will proceed with regionalization, which means that no products will be able to leave the Pazardzhik region.
He admitted that he had mistrust of the authorities, but felt that it had been lost a long time ago.
„The mistrust is from 2018, when there was a similar case. We are trying with the entire political team of the ministry to resolve it. We allowed resampling as a precedent. The European reference laboratory is in Montpellier, France. So far we have taken two samples – are positive," commented Assoc. Strategic. According to him, there is nothing to dispute after the laboratory in Montpellier.
He also explained that the laboratory in Thessaloniki, to which the farmers from Velingrad turned, is not on the list of reference laboratories of the EU. “They have no accreditation for this disease. Their national laboratory, which is accredited, is located in Athens”, commented the deputy minister. According to him, the certificate that the owners showed is not the one that should be.
Stratev explained that the owners initially sought out local veterinarians because they had 24 dead animals. “Veterinarians go, diagnose a completely different disease. They recommended treatment, but it was unsuccessful. "Things have gotten worse," explained the deputy minister. From there, a report was made to the Regional Food Safety Office.
„We understand the farmers, but the law is clear – if there is even one positive sample, the entire herd is destroyed. The minister went, they talked. The first day there was agreement, and at the end of the day they changed their minds. There are side factors involved. They are political - parties that are not currently in parliament. The evidence is visible on social networks," said Deyan Stratev.