October 11, 2005

Bulgaria, EU ban Turkish poultry imports

Bulgaria and the EU have banned imports of live chicken and poultry from Turkey, following the recent bird flu outbreak there.

Bulgaria's government said the country would also ban poultry imports from Romania, if it was confirmed the birds that recently died there were infected by the deadly H5N1 strain.

The government added that it would step up controls, especially near the Danube River frontier with Romania. Cars traveling from Turkey and Romania into Bulgaria would also be disinfected.

Bulgaria's veterinary service would also urgently provide guidelines to farmers on appropriate actions to minimise the risk of bird flu spreading into the country.

Before the ban, Bulgaria already imported one million live birds from Turkey for consumption since the start of 2005 and three million eggs to raise live birds.

Meanwhile, the government has allocated BGN3.7 million under the country's Pandemic Action Plan, for purchasing vaccines and diagnostic lab equipments, as well as for other anti-bird flu measures.