site.btaBulgaria, France Insist on Keeping the Budget of the Common Agricultural Policy

Bulgaria, France Insist on Keeping the Budget of the Common Agricultural Policy

Paris, February 25 (BTA) - "I would like to voice my support for the conclusions of the agricultural ministers meeting in Chambord, held in September 2016 that there should be no retreat from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)," caretaker Agriculture and Food Minister Hristo Bozukov at a meeting with his French counterpart Stephane le Foll in Paris, Bozukov's Ministry said.

Budget cuts should not be allowed in order to avoid clashes given the growing challenges in agriculture and the tightened requirements to farmers," the Minister also said. In his opinion, it is necessary to review the effective legislation with a view to better targeting of the aid. He noted that it is important for Bulgaria to introduce a higher percentage of financing for marginalized regions in the EU.

France has always favoured consolidation of the EU and has struggled for preservation of the CAP budget, the French Agriculture Minister said on his part. He said his country is ready to provide expertise and support for the organization of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU.

Minister Bozukov was among the 22 agricultural ministers who attended a reception of Minister Stephane Le Foll on the occasion of the opening of the 54th Salon International de l'Agriculture (International Saloon of Agriculture, SIA) in Paris.

Earlier in the day the Bulgarian Agriculture Minister met with Eric Allain, Director General of FranceAgriMer (National institution for agricultural and sea products). The two discussed the possibilities for training of Bulgarian experts by the newly-established Agriculture Ministry unit in support of the export to third countries as well as the establishment of producer organizations in different farming sectors.

Bozukov conferred with Marcel Poschard, President of the International Student City in Paris. Twenty-five countries have built boarding houses for their students. The host urged Bulgaria to become the first Central and Eastern European country having built a boarding house. Poschard showed the "fir trees of peace" planted by the ambassadors of the 28 EU member states on Europe Day last year. The trees were donated by the Bulgarian Agriculture Ministry in memory of the victims of the terrorist acts in Paris.

On Saturday Buzukov opened the Bulgarian stall in SIA of an area of 80.5 sq m. This is Bulgaria's seventh participation in the event. This year it will present dairy products, wines, honey, rose products and herbs.

This is the 54th edition of the forum, which is one of the most important ones in animal husbandry and genetics, agriculture, vegetable production and green tourism. Traditionally, over 1,000 foreign exhibitors and over 700,000 guests visit the show.