Bulgaria stock breeders will stage a protest on the Trakiya Highway on Thursday, April 1, with up to 4 000 farmers expected to participate.

The chair of the National Stock-breeders Association, Boyko Sinapov, has announced at a Sunday press conference that the sector continues in a chaotic state, even after the present government came into power.

"We do not protest against the government of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), but want it to start working. Eight months - one and the same thing, the stock-breeding sector is suffering a loss - every day, every hour and every day," Sinapov said, explaining the reason behind the planned protest, which will be held in the district of Plovdiv.

He complained about excessive bureaucracy and red tape, adding that farmers were not seeing any benefits from ongoing agricultural programs. he reported that 2% of farmers had gone bankrupt in 2009.

The sector also complained about the present level of agricultural subsidies, asking for them to be brought into line with those handed to farmers in the "older" EU member states.

Sinapov also warned that frozen lambs from New Zealand and Australia have been imported into Bulgaria some six months ago and are being fraudulently passed off as Bulgarian products.

"This imported lamb meat is much cheaper than the Bulgarian, which is better in quality. However, it is difficult for consumers to spot the difference between the Bulgarian and the imported meat," he stated.