Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Miroslav Naydenov together with inspectors from the Executive Forestry Agency and the Regional Forestry Directorate of Sofia carried out checks for illegal sale of Christmas trees near the Russian Monument in Sofia.
The aim is to control illegal sale of alder trees during Christmas and New Year holidays.
Investigation did not show anything illegal, the trader had proper documents. The price of the trees he sells varies between BGN 10 and BGN 40 and between BGN 60 BGN 30 for trees in pots. The seller, who was checked, paid for the trees between BGN 3.50 to BGN 7.00 per tree.
In the last month In the Sofia region, Executive Forestry Agency confiscated some 500 illegally felled while in the country their number is over 3000.
“Consumers can establish the legality of the alder trees on the basis of the price,” said the Minister. According to Naydenov, a small pine tree costs between BGN 10-15, while alder trees in pots are twice as expensive and some can go up to BGN 60. He advised people to choose a tree in a pot because, after the Christmas holidays, it can be planted.
Minister Naydenov made an assessment of the overall activity of the Executive Forestry Agency. He defined it as extremely effective, given the old equipment and low salaries. He hopes that the adoption of the Forestry Law on the second reading, things will change.