Bulgaria: There are attempts to circumvent the requirements when importing from Ukraine

Bulgarian authorities have detected attempts to evade import licensing when bringing in sunflower, rapeseed, and corn for sowing from Ukraine, with Minister of Agriculture Kiril Vatev raising concerns about increased sunflower imports along the Danube river. During an online meeting with Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture Mykola Solski, Solski committed to taking action against these practices within two weeks, and warned that companies violating the licensing regime will lose their right to export. Vatev also noted that if the current rate of sunflower import is sustained, it will exceed the needs of Bulgarian processors, leading to a halt in imports and an emphasis on selling sunflowers from Bulgarian production.