Farmers across Bulgaria protest against Ukrainian grain as EU divide grows

By VALENTINA PETROVA and STEPHEN McGRATH
Associated Press

PERNIK, Bulgaria (AP) — Farmers across Bulgaria protested Monday after the government lifted a ban on food products from Ukraine, complaining that the move will cause an influx that drives down prices for local growers. Hundreds of farmers around the country converged in their tractors, many of them waving national flags and honking horns as they blockaded main roads and disrupted traffic. They’re angry because Bulgarian lawmakers have allowed imports from Ukraine to resume, saying the ban had deprived the government of tax revenue and led to higher food prices. The European Union also decided not to renew the overall ban on Ukrainian food heading to five member countries. Poland, Hungary and Slovakia have since unilaterally imposed their own blockades.