Bulgaria to Receive EUR 2.9 Mln in EU Aid to Fight African Swine Fever

Brussels - Bulgaria will receive 2.9 million euro in financial aid from the European Union to suppress African swine fever (ASF) in the country.

This emerged after a meeting in Brussels between Bulgarian Agriculture, Food and Forestry Minister Dessislava Taneva and European Health and Food Safety Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, Taneva's Ministry reported on Tuesday.Brussels - Bulgaria will receive 2.9 million euro in financial aid from the European Union to suppress African swine fever (ASF) in the country. This emerged after a meeting in Brussels between Bulgarian Agriculture, Food and Forestry Minister Dessislava Taneva and European Health and Food Safety Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, Taneva's Ministry reported on Tuesday.

Measures to contain the disease

The two officials discussed the measures being taken by Bulgaria to contain the disease. The country also expects 11 million euro in emergency aid to compensate farmers for losses due to the liquidation of ASF in pig farms.

The EU money can be spent on laboratory equipment, sample testing and preventive action. A fact-finding mission of the European Commission will be in Bulgaria between mid-September and early October to review what has been done to suppress the infection. The findings will determine future financial support from the Commission to Bulgaria.

Three different targets

The measures, which the Government has taken and will take to contain the spread of ASF, were presented during a meeting at the Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday. The measures have three different targets: wild animals, industrial farms, and backyard pig raising. Agriculture Minister Dessislava Taneva.

The state of emergency, whose initial end was on Tuesday, was extended due to new positive tests for ASF in an industrial pig farm.

Also on Tuesday, the first hotspot of ASF in Southwestern Bulgaria was established in a game farm in Samokov. The disease tested positive from a wild boar carcass found in the area of the farm on August 2.

Source: BTA Daily News