Why are European farmers angry about the controls at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing point?

Sunday, Aug 4, 2024

Mediapool

Controversial Bulgarian-Turkish border control allows cheap produce, potentially using banned pesticides, causing EU farmer concern.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

The controversial control point at the Bulgarian GKP “Captain Andreevo,” through which fruits and vegetables enter Europe from Turkey, is subject to scandals and legal battles in Bulgaria due to private companies linked to underground figures profiting immensely from the operation. However, the quality of this inspection is also alarming European farmers because the produce entering the point is cheaper as it is grown with inexpensive plant protection agents, some of which have been banned in the EU for years. The situation has escalated in Spain, where farmers are demanding extreme measures from the EU: either 100% pesticide testing on incoming third-country fruits and vegetables at the Bulgarian-Turkish border or a total ban on their import through that point by Brussels.

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