Several hundred Bulgarians protested against the allowing of genetically modified organisms by the country’s legislation.
The protest before the National Library building was organized by the “For the Nature” coalition and an “initiative committee of citizens and parents.”
“We Don’t Want GMO”, “Bulgaria Free of GMO”, and “We Are the Real Environment Ministry”, shouted the several hundred protesters which included a number of mothers with very young kids as representatives of parents’ organizations.
“I am not sure whether the decision to adopt the GMO Act is the result of incompetence on part of the Environment Ministry who might have decided to harmonize Bulgaria’s legislation with that of the EU by liberalizing everything,” said lawyer Svilen Ovcharov from the “Green Advocates” association.
He pointed out that the decision to back GMO in Bulgaria would affect the popularity of all political parties which support it.
Lawyer Ovcharov mentioned that the Parliamentary Group of the ruling GERB party was willing to introduce further guarantees over the allowing of GMO in Bulgaria.
Agricultural producers’ associations – who were also among the protesters – issued a declaration saying that the government was hiding behind EU directives and that the GMO introduction would only serve the interests of a tiny group of privileged people.
They have expressed their extreme concern over the introduction of GMO in the Bulgarian environment. The changes in legislation allow for more GM Crops to be grown in Bulgaria but do not involve changes in the rules on GMO food products in shops.
After gathering before the National Library, the protesters headed for the National Palace of Culture marching along several downtown Sofia boulevards.
The GMO Act is currently between the period of its first and second reading in the Bulgarian Parliament.
On January 13, 2010, the Parliament adopted at first reading the GMO act. According to environmentalists, it is a first step towards allowing GMO in Bulgaria. According to the head of the Agriculture Committee, Desislava Taneva, the law provided for very harsh limitations against the launching of GMOs into the Bulgarian environment and on the Bulgarian market.
The law stipulates that in order to allow a GMO in Bulgaria, an approval would be needed by a special committee of 15 scientists, public debate, consultations with the European Commission, and all other EU member states.
Amidst the initial protests at the beginning of January, Taneva also promised further limitations at second reading – including the approval of the Parliament and not stripping the Environment Minister of allowing a certain GMO if the scientists’ committee decided against it.
In a few months the EU is expected to make the laws on GM Crops and GMO food products harsher, which will mean Bulgaria will again have to change its national legislation.
Author: FIGMENT, 31 Jan 2010 17:45:50
Bulgarians Rise in Protest against Genetically Modified Crops
This protest speaks volumes to the ignorance of the Bulgarian public. Half of what they eat is already genetically modified grains. As a matter of fact, products that are genetically modified to resist pests and disease are much safer to eat than products that have pesticides thrown at them in order to combat pests and diseases. Genetic engineering is a healthy alternative for pesticides. These protesters are ignorant and stupid. Clearly ingesting too much DDT and other pesticides has affected their brains, and not in a good way.
Author: Sotar, 1 Feb 2010 11:29:40
Bulgarians Rise in Protest against Genetically Modified Crops
Oh, no, my dear FIGMENT, it speaks of just the contrary.
If you are so confident about your claims about GMOs, I suggest you provide hard evidence for that.
You'd be the first one to do that, if you succeeded, so good luck.
It's quite sad to read insults based on propaganda addressed at such brave people.
Confused readers are encouraged to do some research on their own, google "world according to Monsanto" for example.
The truth about contamination of food by synthetic chemicals is HIGHER in GMO crops. Especially those herbicide-resistant ones, which are sprayed with tons of herbicide which people later consume.
Not to mention risks connected with consuming pest-resistant crops which themselves produce toxins that can alter the mammals' metabolisms (as proved in numerous lab tests).
There is no research INDEPENDENT from massive Bio-tech industry financing that would prove that GMO crops are safe to eat.
GMOs can NOT coexist with traditional crops. Cross-pollination is the reason.
I hope, for the sake of the whole Europe, that Bulgarian people will win over the biotech lobbysts.
And... do educate yourself, people.
Author: Bill, 1 Feb 2010 11:48:35
Bulgarians Rise in Protest against Genetically Modified Crops
Sotar:
"GMOs can NOT coexist with traditional crops. Cross-pollination is the reason."
I find this sentence ambiguous, but it may be merely a matter of English translation. Are you saying that cross-pollination is bad? Grapefruits, for example, are a cross-breed between oranges and lemons. Botanists have been cross-pollinating and producing better versions of plants for decades, if not centuries. To date, I haven't seen any indication that this is conducive to bodily damage.
From my viewpoint, the people worried about POSSIBLE damage from genetically modified plants are in the same category as those who keep saying that this or that MIGHT cause cancer.
Yes, they might, but do they?
Author: Sotar, 1 Feb 2010 12:54:45
Bulgarians Rise in Protest against Genetically Modified Crops
Dear Bill,
I don't say cross-pollination is bad, I say it is the reason why in my opinion we cannot allow for GMOs before throughout tests and research prove beyond doubt that they don't have significant impact on human health.
Why? Cause the pollen from the modified plants can get carried by the wind long way and contaminate non-modified plants.
So if long-term research eventually proves GM is bad (and a good beginning has been done already), we might find it hard to obtain 'clean' food anymore.
This goes against the primary ecological rule, which is called "the precautionary principle". And I mean 'ecological' as in ecology - the interdisciplinary scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment, not as in ecology - way to be hip and have fun by chaining oneself to a tree.
Social impact of patenting GM plants is another important issue and a good reason to at least give it a second thought before starting to praise the "Science". I myself am far from criticizing technology in general and biotechnology in particular, as long as it is implemented with good will and reason. But thie history of the major biotech companies sadly shows, that care exclusively about their own profits and have a well-documented history of deceit, lies and ruthlessness.
But, I'm a mere anonymous internaut. What is my word worth? Better check this out:
Scientists worldwide ask for a moratorium for GMOs and for good reasons. Go here:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/list.php to read their open letter to the governments.
In this world of information battles, I have one advice for those who want to get to the truth: Check out what interest the person giving you certain info might have in doing so.
Will you believe research done by personnel of a company that will earn billions if the research proves their claims?
Or will you rather believe objective scientists who often get into huge problems if their work stands in the way of those billions?
Author: Bill, 1 Feb 2010 15:06:21
Bulgarians Rise in Protest against Genetically Modified Crops
Sotar:
"Why? Cause the pollen from the modified plants can get carried by the wind long way and contaminate non-modified plants."
Pardon me, but so what if they do? Botanists have ceated, for example, corn with larger kernels, fruits which don't have any seeds to get into the juice, grapes that produce better wines, etc.
There is no evidence whatever (yet) that genetically modified plants are dangeras to human or other animal health.
If you want to prove your point, what you need is evidence that it's harmful, and to my knowledge that doesn't (yet) exist.
Today, there's too much panicking over what MIGHT happen, but for some reason hasn't yet.
Author: Sotar, 1 Feb 2010 17:22:40
Bulgarians Rise in Protest against Genetically Modified Crops
Bill,
I personally disagree with you on one point:
That food's danger needs to be proved.
In my opinion, it's its safety that should be documented prior to consumption.
In any case, you force me to do my homework, which is cool but for which I don't have the time right now - need to work.
I will get back to you with a bunch of links to independent research results that prove that animals fdfed with GMO-based fodder (pigs, cows) get sterile and get serious health problems.
There was also a pandemic that killed 100 people and infected sever thousand that was caused by a GM microbe.
As I said, I will find the data later.
Meanwhile, you might enjoy watching this:
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-world-according-to-monsanto/
That's a rather solid documentary on the issue.
S.
Author: Bill, 1 Feb 2010 18:01:47
Bulgarians Rise in Protest against Genetically Modified Crops
Sotar:
"In my opinion, it's its safety that should be documented prior to consumption. "
Carrying your point to ridiculous extreme, look at it this way:
Because flying might be dangerous, we shouldn't design airplanes.
Because drowning might be dangerous, we shouldn't learn to swim.
Because something might cause cancer, we shouldn't touch it.
Because the sun causes sunburn, we should never sunbathe, nor have invented skin cream.
It's not the safety which needs to be proved; it's the danger. Laboratoy tests are conducted on animals--despite do-gooder protest--for exactly that reason. If anything bad happens to the test animals, whatever caused it isn't passed on to the human being.
Author: FIGMENT, 1 Feb 2010 21:18:15
Bulgarians Rise in Protest against Genetically Modified Crops
sotar
" And... do educate yourself, people."
We have. Now you should follow your own advice and stop trusting the liberal Eurotrash. They lied about climate change and they are lying about genetically modified produce.
For your information, here are the hard facts:
1. We have been eating seedless grapes for years all over the world and no one has got sick yet. If anyone has got sick from eating seedless grapes, it is because of all the pesticides and insecticides they spray on them.
2. We have been eating genetically modified seedless watermelons for years. Again, they have caused no sickness.
3. Genetically modified corn has been in use for years in cattle and poultry feed as well as in breakfast cereals. No one has got sick yet.
That's just a few examples and there are hundreds more.
Author: FIGMENT, 1 Feb 2010 22:55:26
Bulgarians Rise in Protest against Genetically Modified Crops
Sotar
That link you posted is pure nonsense. Scare tactics, nothing more. Anyone who has grown peppers, cucumbers, or tomatoes from seed knows that you don't need seeds from Monsanto to grow produce. You keep some seeds each summer for next year's planting.
In addition--do you really believe that the impoverished and starving people of the third world care if their food is GM or not? I guess Haitians are very worried about that. (End of sarcasm).
Sure, there a a certain number of liberal numb sculls who insist on every morsel they consume to be "organic" and "pure" and "free range", but most people are too poor and too hungry to notice the difference. The rest of the world agrees with me.
Author: FIGMENT, 2 Feb 2010 00:04:13
Bulgarians Rise in Protest against Genetically Modified Crops
Sotar
People have been growing food for thousands of years before Monsanto. No one is forced at gun point to use Monsanto seeds. Yet many farmers do, and there must be a good reason for it. Feel free not to use Monsanto seeds when you start farming. lol
