Today, 03 June 2011, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Bulgaria Dr. Tzvetan Dimitrov met with Mr. Sergey Ivanovich Melnik, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Supply in Ukraine. During the meeting, the Bulgarian side declared its will to further develop cooperation in the field of agriculture, as more fully exploit the potential that both countries have to develop a modern export-oriented agriculture.
The only sector of the Bulgarian economy, which forms a positive foreign trade balance in recent years is agriculture, said Dr. Dimitrov. Deputy Minister Dimitrov informed Mr. Melnnik on the temporary ban imposed for import of Bulgarian products and raw materials on the territory of Ukraine, that on May 31, 2011 the Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health reconsidered the Decision № 44/2011 of European Commission concerning certain preventive measures against foot and mouth disease in Bulgaria for the liberalization of the measures imposed on our country.
Mr Melnik explain how the Agrarian Fund of Ukraine was created. The Fund is a public body and serves as a regulator of grain market prices. He also particularized what basic mechanisms are used to regulate these prices in Ukraine. Accordingly, on behalf of Bulgaria, the issue of the functions and mechanisms of the State Fund "Agriculture" – Paying Agency was discussed.
Republic of Bulgaria is the biggest partner in the Balkans. An important aspect for the expansion of trade between two countries is the adoption of Ukraine in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the prospect of establishing an FTA with the EU. Ukraine has the initiative to create a Black Sea Market for agricultural products for the Black Sea countries.