2024-02-17 08:44:33
The ban on private laboratories at the border will be introduced by “Continuing the change – Democratic Bulgaria” next week in the parliament as an amendment to the Law on the Management of the Agri-Food Chain, the press center of the coalition announced on Friday.
The changes provide for the creation of an organization within a year, so that the cargo-unloading activity at the border points will be carried out by the state. This also includes a ban on private laboratories doing the food inspections that are required when importing such products.
The bill was passed in first reading by parliament on September 23 last year, when MPs voted to strengthen phytosanitary controls at border crossings, but work on the changes has since stalled. The PP-DB indicate that the changes are now being submitted for a second reading vote.
“The fight against corruption goes through the creation of working rules and institutions, not through speeches on the sidelines of the parliament. It is time for the vicious practices of the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing to be stopped. This is an important law that has a direct bearing on Bulgarian households and businesses related to food production and, last but not least, on Bulgaria’s accession to the overland Schengen area. As part of my participation in the Security Conference in Munich, I will inform our partners about the upcoming legislative changes to improve our national security and that of our borders”, stated Kiril Petkov, quoted by the party press center.
The announcement states that Petkov, in his capacity as a witness, provided the prosecutor’s office with information in connection with the investigation of illegal actions of the private laboratory “Eurolab” at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing, established during the time of the “Petkov” office.
Then representatives of the PP contacted the competent institutions and a number of checks followed by the BFSA, the National Revenue Agency, the Economic Police and the State Tax Administration. The court then partially restored the operation of the private company at the border. (24 cups)