site.btaSupreme Administrative Court Upholds Ban on Import, Breeding of American Mink in Bulgaria

The Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) has definitively upheld the decision of the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) from 2022, which bans the import and breeding of the American mink species in Bulgaria, according to a ruling by SAC, published on the court's website.

After the MoEW issued the order two years ago, the owners of the company "Farmpro" Ltd. — who also own the only mink farm in Bulgaria — appealed it. The SAC upheld the MoEW’s decision and ordered "Farmpro" Ltd. to pay some BGN 1,400 in legal costs.

The order provides for restrictions on the import and breeding of minks while allowing for the commercial value of the animals already being bred to be realized, so the investor does not suffer financial loss.

In their reasoning, the senior judges state that there is concrete evidence that the species is already permanently established in the wild, which could seriously damage Bulgarian fauna around rivers and other bodies of water. The American mink is a serious competitor for food with the otter — a vulnerable species in Bulgaria, highly protected under the Bern Convention and the EU Habitats Directive — as well as the European polecat, whose status in Bulgaria is unclear due to a lack of field data on its population. There is also evidence that the American mink impacts vulnerable small species.

The SAC also noted that, according to expert testimony, there is no observed predation pressure on the American mink from other predators, which could lead to its rapid expansion across the country.

The judges further stated that the appellant’s claim that the Minister of Environment and Water violated the principle of proportionality when issuing the order is unfounded. The preservation of nature, with its diverse flora and fauna, is deemed to be of greater public interest than the private interest of the sole investor in American mink farming in Bulgaria.

The last mink farm in Bulgaria closed in January of this year. Its capacity was nearly 129,000 minks annually, according to the Campaigns and Activism for Animals in Industry Association.

Petya Altimirska, chairperson of the Association, commented: “Our efforts to ban fur farms began more than 8 years ago. Over that time, significant scientific evidence has accumulated regarding the harmful impact of the American mink on local ecosystems and biodiversity. The order banning the breeding and import of minks is a major step in protecting biodiversity, animals, and human health.”