The EC has provided vaccines for all possible measles, plague and other animal diseases (against which there are vaccines), but these vaccines do not reach the breeders due to the fault of the Bulgarian institutions. For years now, in favor of animal incinerator “schemes” and other businesses!

Nikolay Kolev’s open letter to Minister Hristanov./Nikolay Kolev is a world-renowned biochemist and molecular biologist who is an expert on the problem of euthanization of Bulgarian animals/

To Mr. Ivan Hristanov MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD

Dear Mr. Minister, I plead with you to comply with the calls of the Federation of European Veterinarians and apply modern and adequate measures for immunization against dangerous diseases against which there are already effective vaccines. I invite you to a public debate on Luba Kulezic’s show tomorrow, 19.03.26 on Eurocom TV. Mrs. Kulezic will contact you to specify the exact time. Mr. Minister, you may know that according to DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2023/361, each EU member country has its own autocephalous body (for Bulgaria it is the BABH) which can, at its own discretion, make sovereign decisions and decide to immunize against diseases of category A, where both plague and smallpox are found according to the DPJ, if it wishes, of course. Then, in accordance with the EU regulations, an immunization plan is prepared, which is disclosed to the European Commission and the member countries. Then proceed in accordance with the relevant national law to start the immunization campaign. For Bulgaria, in accordance with ZVMD art. 49, para. 2, it is by order of the Minister of Agriculture. After that, the state has 24 months to deal with the given infestation, which we establish through constant monitoring and probing. Since during all this time there have been NO euthanasias due to infection treated by immunization, animals within the state move freely, trade freely, as well as their products within the state. I.e. the procedures for vaccinating animals in an EU country, including Bulgaria, are regulated and clear, but there is clearly a lack of qualified people to take the reins in their hands. In this sense, I offer you my services, if you vote for me the necessary administrative framework for action, I assure you that in 24 months Bulgaria will be clean of plague and smallpox according to the DPJ. For Bulgaria, regarding smallpox, the procedures have already been activated and are at the level that we have an approved official immunization plan, this is a document approved by the EU, as we also have imported vaccines approved by the EU and licensed. Here the MOH owes answers, what is happening with the immunization plan, and what is happening with the imported vaccines against sheep pox. As well as what are the technical characteristics, expiration date and to submit a report, how the vaccines are stored. There must be clear accountability, who from which agency is responsible for what. After all, it’s taxpayers’ money. What is stopping the procedure for now is the refusal of the Minister of Agriculture to sign the relevant order under Art. 49.para. 2. Please do not let various millionaires manipulate you with the narratives that I know come from large industrial farms and dairies, they suggest lies to you that their business would collapse and they would immediately stop their exports. This is not true at all. Although according to EU Regulation 2023/361; Appendix 10, part.4 – the recovery period after vaccination is 24 months, within Bulgaria there will be no limit for farmers. They will be able to graze their sheep, and they will be able to sell their produce in Bulgaria. I.e. the only restriction is that for two years Bulgaria will not have the right to export live animals (of course it only applies to sheep and goats). But as of today, we do NOT export economic quantities of such, in fact now we cannot even saturate our domestic market. On the other hand, it should be clear that the export of thermally processed dairy products (cheese) will NOT be restricted. Which is good for us, because from an economic point of view, we only export this and we will actually overcome these 24 months – quarantine phase without significant financial losses. In the discussions with the big dairy farmers, although we tried to declare our willingness to jointly cover potential damages, this does not suit them, because they continue to insist, literally speaking lies in all national media and in all meetings, that the EU and the USA and other countries would refuse imports from Bulgaria, which is simply not true.
The question remains as to why the big dairies insist on continuing the dramas with the euthanasia of animals in our country, with a potential reasonable answer left echoing in the space that they simply want to vassalize the industry, which so far they have not been able to do.
At this point, I should draw your attention to our debate with Vladislav Mihailov from November 2025. in front of Janka Petkova from Offnews, who between 44:00 and 45:00 minutes clearly admits that his priorities are large industrial farms, not small animal breeders. But the economic interests of the large dairy farmers will not solve the social problems in the province, because the large dairy farmers and their close farmers, a total of 15-20 people for the whole of Bulgaria, use a large amount of imported labor, do not train and develop their own personnel, and do not develop the regions, or if so, within very small limits.
Not to mention that the current measures for mass euthanasia of animals forces people out of fear not to report symptoms, but to dispose of their animals secretly, which de facto compromises the measure of euthanasia. This measure makes sense only at the beginning, but we cannot apply it extensively for months and years, it is madness. Add in the illegal immunizations that many people take… the chaos becomes complete and the effectiveness of the current measures is minimal. Which in the end renders euthanasia meaningless as a priority measure. In Bulgaria, we have serious veterinary and animal husbandry problems, which are mainly due to incompetent management in the Ministry of Health and Welfare over the last 35 years. This ministry, alas, did not make any significant efforts to develop agriculture in our country over the years, and every year with laziness or pseudo-measures it even stifles it, as agriculture is mainly used for political purposes, for some people to get some money. Unfortunately, no vision is being developed for the future of agriculture in Bulgaria. Claims that are supported by statistics, and it is palpable to all of the dramatic events with the destruction of animals in recent years. That is why it is important that the BABH and the Ministry of Health revise their policy regarding dangerous infections in farm animals and comply with the new recommendations of the European Federation of Veterinarians, which clearly recommended to the European Commission and the EU Member States that in the future, in relation to all these infections, immunization should be preferred over euthanasia. Offers I’ve been trumpeting since January 2025. and which if Minister Takhov had adopted even then, Bulgaria would have saved itself a lot of drama and many tens of millions of losses by today. Let’s hope this minister turns out to be more far-sighted than the previous one. Sincerely, Nikolay Kolev, Munich, 18.03.2026