EU’s agri-enviromental policies caused farmers’ protests: Bulgarian deputy agriculture minister

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - Bulgarian deputy agriculture minister said the EU’s agri-environmental policies are the cause of farmers’ protests, media reports said Thursday.

“Farmers' protests in Europe are precisely related to the implementation of the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC) standards 7 and 8, which concern crop rotation and the requirement for large farmers with more than 10 hectares of land to leave 4% of their land fallow in order to support biodiversity and avoid soil disturbance,” said Deyan Stratev, according to state-run BTA news agency.

He added that Bulgaria will ask for a postponement for another year of the implementation of the two environmental standards that farmers have to meet.

Bulgarian farmers, meanwhile, continued to protest for a third straight day.

Protesting grain farmers closed roads at different locations, including on the Trakia Motorway in both directions on Bulgaria's most important international road, for 45 minutes.

They demand legislative amendments to ensure economic security in the sector, efforts to change the conditions of the European Green Deal and an allowance of 200 Bulgarian leva ($110) per hectare to mitigate the effects of the war in Ukraine.

BTA noted that another meeting between the government and farmers was scheduled for Friday.

Farmers threaten to continue protesting in Sofia next week if a deal on their demands is not reached.