Sheep plague outbreak exposes total distrust of Bulgarian institutions

A sheep plague outbreak in Bulgaria has become an ordeal for the authorities, who have been forced to send blood samples from the animals to Montpellier, France, for testing because farmers lack confidence in the government and local laboratories. Agriculture Minister Georgi Tahov said Bulgarian authorities had taken hundreds of positive samples from sheep on farms near the southern mountain town of Velingrad, 120 kilometres from the border with Greece. "We have taken over 300 samples - they are 100% positive. We have no doubt in the first samples or in the second samples. I invite the affected farmers for a talk. The animals must be euthanised," the agriculture minister said. Sheep plague has been detected in three flocks of 1,760 animals kept together in five livestock facilities. Under Bulgarian and EU regulations, the sheep must be put down to stop the spread of the disease. The disease is not dangerous to humans, even if they have eaten meat from an infected animal. However, ...