Bulgaria Bans Animal Fights

Any Bulgarian citizen who organizes or participates in animal fighting will face up to 5 years behind bars and a fine ranging between BGN 5 000 and BGN 10 000.

The new and tougher sanctions were included in the amendments to the country's Penal Code, which were accepted by the Parliament on Wednesday.

"Organizing and participating in animal fights is a dirty business, which is supported by other dirty businesseses," Maya Manolova, MP from the leftist Bulgarian Socialist Party declared Wednesday from the Bulgarian Parliamentary tribune. Animal fights have nothing to do with sports, she pointed out.

Manolova added that Bulgaria is first in EU when it comes to the number of abandoned pets and proposed abandoning animals to be considered a criminal offense. Chetin Kazak from the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and freedoms opposed her, saying the Bulgarian society is not ready yet for such a step.

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