Fees for disinfecting vehicles entering Bulgaria are only charged at the border with Turkey

Vladimir Mitev

The text below shows the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency’s answers to questions by Bulgarian National Radio and Radio Romania on border disinfection with Romania and other neighboring countries. In August 2024, unverified information appeared on some websites in Romania and Greece that a disinfection fee was charged at all Bulgarian borders upon land entry by cars or trucks.

In its replies, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency clarifies that the only border at which a disinfection fee is levied on entry into Bulgaria is the border with Turkey. Disinfection is also carried out at other Bulgarian borders, but no fee is charged. The agency also says that if its policy on disinfection changes, neighboring countries will be informed in due time through official channels “in the spirit of good neighborliness”.

At which border crossing points in the Republic of Bulgaria are vehicles currently being disinfected on entry?

As of 15.07.2024, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) carries out preventive disinfection at all border crossing points on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, including land borders with Greece, North Macedonia, Serbia, Romania and Turkey.

This decision is based on the analysis of the Center for Food Chain Risk Assessment (CFCRA), which underlines the need for the mandatory introduction of this measure due to the complicated epizootic situation in the neighboring countries.

At which of these border points where disinfection is carried out is a disinfection fee charged? At what rate for different types of vehicles?

State fees for disinfection carried out at border crossing points for vehicles entering the Republic of Bulgaria fall within the scope of the section of the Tariff of Fees to be collected by the BFSA, adopted by Decree of the Ministerial Council no. 375 of 30.12.2011, published in the Official Gazette No. 1 of 3.01.2012, amended and supplemented in No. 87 of 10.11.2015, in force from 10.11.2015, Official Gazette No. 69 of 2.09.2016, in force from 2.09.2016, Official Gazette No. 49 of 20.06.2017, in force from 20.06.2017. The list of fees is publicly available on the website of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency. The collected funds, according to the set fee, are fully paid to the state budget. Currently, fees are collected at the border points with the Republic of Turkey, namely “Kapitan Andreevo”, “Lesovo” and “Malko Tarnovo”.

How is disinfection done for cars and how for trucks?

Disinfection of vehicles is carried out by the staff of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency according to a scheme approved by Order No. RD11-1932/02.08.2024 of the Executive Director of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency. In accordance with Article 190, paragrapg 1 of the Veterinary Act, preventive disinfection carried out at border control points is mandatory for all means of transport entering Bulgaria. Prophylaxis is carried out in disinfection facilities at border crossing points for heavy and light traffic.

Are there any plans to introduce paid disinfection at Bulgaria’s borders this year and, if so, what is known and what can be publicly communicated about them?

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency is in constant contact with the authorities of neighboring countries and informs them in due time about the actions and measures it is taking. The Agency continues to monitor and analyze the animal disease situation and communicates all actions to the European Commission. If measures other than those introduced so far as preventive measures are taken, the neighboring countries will be informed in advance, in accordance with the established good neighborly relations.

Photo: A disinfection point at the border-crossing point Kapitan Andreevo between Bulgaria and Turkiye (source: YouTube)

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About Author

Vladimir Mitev

Vladimir Mitev is a Bulgarian Romanian-speaking journalist. He has interacted with many Bulgarian and Romanian media outlets, including Bulgarian National Radio, Mediapool, all major Bulgarian television stations, Darik Radio, and more (Bulgaria); Radio Romania, The Liberal Community 1848, all the major Romanian television stations; DoR; Libertatea; PressHub; and others (Romania); The Analysis, Acorn Radio (USA); Open Democracy (UK); voxEurop (France); the Observatory for the Balkans and the Caucasus; The Other News (Italy); The Institute for Central Europe (Poland); Argument (Czechia); Merce (Hungary); Bilten (Croatia); and Agora (the Republic of Moldova).
He promotes the idea of non-hegemonic, mutually empowering interactions in Central and Southeastern Europe that could contribute to the formation of a dynamic regional identity and connect citizens to the global community.

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