The European Commission will provide 100 Million Euros for Farmers in 5 Countries - Including Bulgaria

The European Commission will provide 100 million euros to help farmers in Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, who suffered most seriously from increased imports of grain and other agricultural products from Ukraine. This was said by a spokesperson of the European Commission

EC President Ursula von der Leyen sent a letter this morning to the authorities in Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, saying she is aware of the situation and the countries' concerns.

This afternoon there is a meeting between EC Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis and the agriculture ministers of the five countries, including Bulgaria, to discuss possible solutions to the problem.

The EC also commented that they do not agree with the position of the Bulgarian authorities, that the institution has been slow to help farmers.

"Regarding aid to farmers - I would like to disagree with the position that the European Commission is slow to react. We have acted very quickly to provide the first package of financial aid to farmers in three Member States, which are exposed to risks. Even then, at the end of March, EC President Ursula von der Leyen announced after the end of the summit that we are offering a second aid package. The second package will be even bigger than the first - it will be 100 million euro to support farmers in the five countries most affected by increased grain imports from Ukraine," said Dana Spinant, EC spokesperson.