[size=75:3dgzzv4w]Novinite

Bulgaria Launches Food Safety Agency

Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov and the EU Commissioner on Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli, launched the start of Bulgaria's Food Safety Agency.

"
This is the first time, since I became a minister, that I am so excited. We promised the Bulgarian nation and our children that we will work towards allowing them to have safer and quality foods on their tables every day. Now this is possible,"
Naydenov said.

In his words, the system enables Bulgaria to join other EU member states that have already introduced similar agencies.

"
With regards to food safety, healthcare of people and animals, Bulgaria has been accepted to the Schengen zone a long time ago and is a reliable EU border,"
he said.

EU Commissioner John Dalli stated that this is a very important day not only for Bulgaria, but also for Europe.

"
The power of our market is the power of each and every EU member state,"
Dalli said.

The Director of the Bulgarian National Veterinary Service, Yordan Voynov, was officially appointed head of the Food Safety Agency.

He said that the agency will set standards for quality of foods in kindergartens and schools. He added that there should be some legislative amendments to require the use of foods, approved by the state standards, in children institutions.

"
The problem is that at the current public procurements, mayors choose the company that provides the lowest price and low price means low quality,"
Voynov said.

Naydenov pointed out that the work of the Food Safety Agency will be followed by inspectors from the agriculture ministry.

On Wednesday, the minister announced that Bulgaria is preparing three state standards for three types of bread, which will join the already operating state standards for Bulgarian yogurt, milk and meat products.

The Food Safety Agency combines the National Veterinary Service, National Plant Protection Service, National Grain and Grain Products Service, and a unit in the public health body, which is responsible for food safety.

28 regional centers for food safety will be included in agency, which will control all foods. An exception will be the bottled natural mineral and table water, which will be monitored by regional health inspections of the Health Ministry.

More than 140,000 companies for production, processing and trade with foods will be monitored.

The agency will assess if the quality characteristics of foods follow the national standards, developed by branch organizations and approved by the respective units.

The members of the new agency, together with the regional structures, are expected to be 400 less than the members of the four services that existed before, due to the reduction of the repeating units.

About time to lets hope this works and there is an improvement in the food they expect everyone to eat it will be nice to have a standard that way we will all know what to expect and what's right and what isn't

This is a good positive move and a good place to start

More than 140,000 companies for production, processing and trade with foods will be monitored.

I feel it needs to go further and include retail outlets like hotels, restaurants, bars and food shops etc
but as I said it's a good start

I think you will find that the retail sector will come under the same umbrella as time goes by remember its Bulgaria slowly slowly [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Gimp wrote:

I think you will find that the retail sector will come under the same umbrella as time goes by remember its Bulgaria slowly slowly [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I think and hope you are right and I hope it includes quality control. Have you ever tried to eat a Bulgarian beef steak. :Headbang:insurance cover (a sore point with me) is required to protect the damage done to your false teeth

[size=55:cxcxrpgb]The Bulgarian Industrial Association

Bulgaria Starts Working on 3 Bread State Standards

Bulgarian state tandards for three types of bread will guarantee the good quality of the product, Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov said Wednesday.

The minister announced that Bulgaria's PM Boyko Borisov has ordered massive checks on the whole chain of bread production.

They will include producers, traders, flour mills and grain facilities and will be conducted by the newly established Foods Safety Agency, the National Revenue Agency and the Economic Police.

Naydenov have stated several times that Bulgarians eat the worst bread in Europe.

"
Data shows that half of the sector is gray. So we will check what the situation is. We will make no compromises. If there is illegal bread production, it will be closed,"
the minister said on Wednesday.

He explained that an expert council will gather Monday to start working on three state standards for three types of bread – white, brown, and "
Dobrudzha"
.

In his words, the new breads that will be produced under the standards will be more expensive, but will consist of water, flour and salt only.

Alongside,there will also be standards for the raw materials – grain and flower, the minister said.

Its a good move indeed. But does this means the current employees will loose their jobs? I have heard many agencies are grouped into one, to make the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency. Its a good move for the country but hope the employees of these agencies will not be affected. Hope they make the changes without affecting the current employees, any news regarding this?

neo.bg wrote:

Its a good move indeed. But does this means the current employees will loose their jobs? I have heard many agencies are grouped into one, to make the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency. Its a good move for the country but hope the employees of these agencies will not be affected. Hope they make the changes without affecting the current employees, any news regarding this?

Very well put and I agree this can be good in some ways but as you quite rightly point out will this mean job losses? and if so this could have a worse impact than having the standard of food checked, perhaps they can do it without the loss of any jobs? lets hope so . I don't know anymore than what is written here but I guess it would be good to keep track of how it goes.

I'd say this is a good step forward it can only improve hygiene etc and hopefully the welfare of the animals but does anybody know how much the bribe will be set at

[size=55:2tqbyaik]Novinite

Bulgarian Food Safety Agency Employees Busted with Bribe

2 Employees of Bulgaria Food Safety Agency Busted with Bribe: Bulgarian Food Safety Agency Employees Busted with Bribe
Two chief inspectors from Bulgaria's new Food Safety Agency were arrested after taking a bribe to conceal health code violations at a Sofia restaurant. File

Employees of Bulgaria's recently launched Food Safety Agency have been arrested after taking a bribe, the Interior Ministry reports Tuesday.

The Regional Directorate "
Transport Police"
at the Main Directorate "
Criminal Police"
in Sofia received an alert about 1:30 pm Monday that 2 men, who have identified themselves as employees of the Agency, have blackmailed the manager of a restaurant in down town Sofia to pay them in order to conceal alleged violations. Police arrested two doctors, Y.R., 62, and E.A., 61, both chief inspectors at the Agency.

The authorities seized 2 BGN 100 bills from Y.R., which have been given to him by the restaurant's manager. The two are under arrest for 24 hours, pending an investigation. The Agency's code was passed by the cabinet on February 9. The goal of the institution is to monitor and control about 650 000 facilities in the country manufacturing and selling food items.

oddball wrote:

[size=55:2rx4guvc]Novinite

Bulgarian Food Safety Agency Employees Busted with Bribe

2 Employees of Bulgaria Food Safety Agency Busted with Bribe: Bulgarian Food Safety Agency Employees Busted with Bribe
Two chief inspectors from Bulgaria's new Food Safety Agency were arrested after taking a bribe to conceal health code violations at a Sofia restaurant. File

Employees of Bulgaria's recently launched Food Safety Agency have been arrested after taking a bribe, the Interior Ministry reports Tuesday.

The Regional Directorate "
Transport Police"
at the Main Directorate "
Criminal Police"
in Sofia received an alert about 1:30 pm Monday that 2 men, who have identified themselves as employees of the Agency, have blackmailed the manager of a restaurant in down town Sofia to pay them in order to conceal alleged violations. Police arrested two doctors, Y.R., 62, and E.A., 61, both chief inspectors at the Agency.

The authorities seized 2 BGN 100 bills from Y.R., which have been given to him by the restaurant's manager. The two are under arrest for 24 hours, pending an investigation. The Agency's code was passed by the cabinet on February 9. The goal of the institution is to monitor and control about 650 000 facilities in the country manufacturing and selling food items.

I am given to believe that the Police were given a bribe to arrest them

Doesn't really matter who took the bribe the fact of the matter is this is a new agency and bribery is alive already! when will they ever learn

Gimp wrote:

when will they ever learn

Never?

You are right Gimp but lets not forget that most of the reason for these bribes is down to need and the government only paying such a low wage which in turn can make some people desperate when they see that there are others doing less for more .

Carmen wrote:

You are right Gimp but lets not forget that most of the reason for these bribes is down to need and the government only paying such a low wage which in turn can make some people desperate when they see that there are others doing less for more .

There will always be someone doing less for more, BUT whether you take a bribe or not depends on your morality ::