As Bulgaria scrapped its idea to build a border fence with Turkey that was supposed to keep animals infected with FMD from entering its territory, the country has decided to impose tighter border control instead.

On Friday, Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov declared that stronger control will be imposed by veterinary physicians and forest rangers. Experts will carry out an increased amount of tests for foot-and-mouth disease.

Naydenov reiterated that the reasons for the government's decision to cancel its intentions to build a border fence with Turkey are both financial and environmental.

As it was made clear on Tuesday, Bulgaria cannot afford the construction of the planned 181-km border fence.

The total cost of the project was estimated at a total of BGN 28 M (almost EUR 14 M), and the Bulgarian government has nowhere to come up with the money.

Furthermore, the fence would have crossed nine protected areas, which would require additional environmental reports.

The construction of a border fence with Turkey was proposed after an outbreak of FMD in Southeastern Bulgaria in the beginning of 2011 was blamed on the infiltration of infected wild animals coming from Turkey.

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