Controversial GMO Act Stalls in Bulgarian Parliament

The Bulgarian Parliament postponed once again the vote on the most important and disputed texts in the GMO Act. Photo by BGNES

The Members of the Bulgarian Parliament failed Wednesday to vote on all amendments in the much disputed GMO Act with the most important ones postponed for the next day.

The vote stirred heated debates between representatives of different parties, leading to the decision to vote on the most argued about text on Thursday - the so-called article 80 introducing the general ban to grow genetically modified organisms (GMO). The ban would not apply to GMO already on the market.

MPs from both sides of the spectrum – the left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party and the right-wing Blue Coalition said the article leaves an open door for the growing of GMO in Bulgaria.

The only text that was passed Wednesday was the requirement for all foods containing GMO to have clear signs about the content with twice larger font than all other letters on the label and different color letters.

Meanwhile, the protest rally in downtown Sofia lasted over 6 hours with representatives of civic and environmental organizations and NGOs demanding a full ban on the growing and release of GMO.

The GMO legislation has been in disputed in Bulgaria over the last two months, and despite the many amendments designed to exclude the possibility that GMOs will be allowed on Bulgarian soil, NGOs and civil society coalitions believe that the law in question still does not provide sufficient guarantees.

Bulgaria's President, Georgi Parvanov, strongly criticizes the amendments of the GMO Act and threatens a veto if the Act is passed the way it has been proposed.

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