Loopholes in the GMOs law allows environmentalists to seek a ban on genetically modified maize and potato

Margarita Dimitrova
Raya Atanasova

"At present, there is no problem for the  EU-authorized genetically modified maize hybrids 810 of Monsanto and BASF GM potato amflora to be also imported to Bulgaria," announced for Klassa, Borislav Sandov from the Initiative Committee of Citizens and Environmentalists. The ban on marketing of genetically modified organisms dropped after the bill of the National Assembly on the amendment to the GMO Act was adopted at the second reading of the Environment and Water Committee. According to the law alterations, Bulgaria has a right to impose a safeguard clause for each hybrid, allowed by the EC (European Commission).

When the amendments to the Act are passed, traders could seek permission for import of both hybrids. Then, there would be no grounds for refusal, even if it is required that the crops be grown in the NATURA 2000 area, explained Borislav Sandov. According to him, to exclude any possibility of importing these hybrids, the Government should immediately launch the procedure for the introduction of a safeguard clause.

It is true that the Environment and Water Committee imposed a legal prohibition only for GMOs trials in the environment, commented attorney Alexander Kodjabashev.

Civil organizations urge the cultivation of GMO for commercial purposes to be banned in protected areas and territories of the national ecological network. Currently, the Act prohibits only field trials. The GMOs production in the 30-km long belt around NATURA should be permitted only after a positive compatibility assessment on the protected areas.

"A request for import of these hybrids should to lodged in order to initiate the procedure for imposing a safeguard clause," explained the Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Evdokia Maneva. To impose such a measure before lodging a demand would mean that we have not actually amended the law but are simply imposing a "blanket ban". According to her, the 30 km long belt is sufficient to prevent the GMOs release on Bulgaria's territory, but the discussion on the problem had been artificially prolonged.