European Health Commissioner John Dalli and Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Miroslav Naydenov launched the official start of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA). Minister Naydenov performed a symbolic Bulgarian ritual called "proshtapulnik" (toddler) and rolled a bread on a cloth path, woven with folk motifs for luck of the newly-established agency. After that he handed in the official job appointment orders to the Director of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency Dr. Yordan Voynov and his team.
In his opening speech Minister Naydenov shared his excitement, joy and satisfaction and added that for the first time since he became a minister he is so excited , because one of the major goals of his team and the entire cabinet is achieved. 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 pointed out.
The Minister gave as a present to his guest EU Commissioner Dalli a painted Troyan ceramic plate with traditional national patterns, as that stylized in the logo of the new agency and a red apple, wrapped in a special packaging with the logo of the BFSA
EU Commissioner John Dalli stated in his address that this is a very important day not only for Bulgaria, but also for Europe. In his opinion, the objectives and the work direction which the agency has set are common throughout Europe. He assessed the agency as a cornerstone in ensuring consumer health and food safety and emphasized that without safety and security, we can not talk about quality. That is what builds consumer confidence, which is a very precious commodity today - very difficult to be achieved and easy to be lost. The power of our market is the power of each and every EU member state, Dalli said.
The newly appointed director of the agency Dr. Yordan Voynov made a presentation of its structure and the work spheres of his three deputies: Dr. Tencho Tenchev, Chief Health Safety Inspector at the Health Ministry, Dr. Ventsislava Taseva, Head of the Agriculture Ministry's Directorate for Food Safety, and Anton Velichkov, Head of the Agriculture Ministry's Plant Protection Service. Dr. Boyko Lilkov faces will be director of one of the most important units of the Agency - the Risk Assessment Center.
Congratulations to the new agency presented Dr. Stefka Petrova - Director of National Center for Public Health Protection and Mariana Kukusheva - President of the Federation of Bakers and Confectioners in Bulgaria. Bulgarian Veterinary Union also sent its greetings.