MPs lift ban on Ukrainian grain imports (update)

Bulgaria's Parliament on September 14 adopted a decision to lift the ban on Ukrainian grain imports after 15 September.

This came after just over two hours of debate in plenary.

Farmers prepare protests if grain imports from Ukraine resume

A hearing of the agriculture minister was held in the plenary chamber. He said that he had supported the idea of extending the ban so far. He changed his mind yesterday after hearing the economic indicators at the cabinet meeting and the forecasts that this would not have serious consequences for the Bulgarian economy

Kiril Vatev explained that controls on imports of Ukrainian produce will be tightened, as they do not meet EU standards.

"According to macro indicators, it is not so worrying to lift this ban because Bulgarian producers can be supported. We are increasing the control of all Ukrainian goods, with strong controls on radioactivity and heavy metals," Vatev told MPs.

GERB-UDF said today's decision did not matter because the ban was being lifted at EU level anyway. “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria” reiterated the argument that all goods in the country would become cheaper.

"This decision will have practically no consequences whatsoever for what will happen from tomorrow, just the ban falls anyway, but there will be other political damage," said Desislava Taneva, GERB-UDF.

"We have to compare what is more important - to reduce inflation a little but significantly in food for 7 million people or to give an additional advantage to a sector that receives 2 billion a year", said Kiril Petkov, WCC-DB.

Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and “There is Such a People” (TISP) reacted strongly against the lifting of the ban.

"This is pure national betrayal, not because we are not in favour of the free market, but because we cannot put our grain producers in a situation where they will not be competitive," said Deyan Nikolov, Vazrazhdane party.

"A solution is being pushed through on the fast track that tries to transfer responsibility from the executive to the MPs," added Ivan Ivanov, BSP.

"We will not support this decision in the National Assembly, but this will not save them from the people who will take the tractors to the streets," said Toshko Yordanov, TISP.

"There is no economic justification, nothing is presented at the moment to justify it, there is no VAT that the state is losing," said Radostin Vassilev, independent MP.

Assen Vassilev: The ban on Ukrainian grain imports has caused losses to the amount of 146 million BGN

According to the agriculture minister, Ukrainian grain is still being imported into the country, but it is disguised as Romanian grain. From now on, talks with the grain growers will follow, who have threatened protests if the ban is lifted. Their meeting with Minister Kiril Vatev will take place on Saturday.