The ban on breeding American mink in Bulgaria was finally confirmed by the Supreme Administrative Court, BNR reported.
An order banning the import and breeding of American mink in Bulgaria was issued by the Ministry of Environment and Waters on May 31, 2022. It stated that "through its spread, the species causes damage to local ecosystems and has a negative impact on local fauna". Due to its strong negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as on the economy in Europe, the species is included at number 19 on the list of the 100 most dangerous invasive alien species in Europe, the text of the order specified.
The ministry's decision was appealed by the owners of the only American mink fur farm, which was located near the village of Madjerito, in the Stara Zagora region. The farm's operations stopped at the beginning of the year, but the Supreme Administrative Court's decision means that the facility will not be able to resume operations, nor will it be possible to open other similar farms in the country.
According to the court, the order issued by the Ministry of Environment and Waters "prefers the public interest related to the right to a clean and safe environment of the population".
According to the association KAZHI (Campaigns and Activism for Animals in Industry), which was also a defendant in the case and supported the ministerial order, the SAC's decision is key.
"In this way, we have shown not only to the Bulgarian authorities, but also to countries across Europe that the cultivation of non-native invasive species is associated with very high risks to biodiversity and cannot be justified by the development of any industry. "More than 130 thousand animals per year will no longer be killed just because of a whim, because of fashion accessories," Petya Altimirska, chairwoman of KAJI, told BNR.