State measures against illegal imports of fruits and vegetables should have been introduced much earlier and should become a permanent practice, according to Tsvetan Tsekov, chairman of the Branch Chamber "Fruit and Vegetables."
Speaking on NOVA NEWS, Tsekov said Bulgaria, as an external border of the European Union, should have long had stricter controls on agricultural imports. He argued that inspections should not be limited to border crossings but should also be carried out inside the country.
“Whatever checks are carried out at the external border, they must be ubiquitous everywhere, so that those batches that enter with trucks under 3.5 tons from both the northern and southern borders and are not controlled can be caught,” Tsekov said.
The government has started mass inspections of fruit and vegetable imports, particularly at borders with Turkey and North Macedonia. Tsekov said, however, that the move came too late and should have been part of regular state policy.
Economist Prof. Kosyo Stoychev also described the measures as delayed and reactive. According to him, authorities could have anticipated that rising inflation would encourage more small traders to import cheaper agricultural products from neighboring countries in search of higher profits.
