A campaign in defense of the Bulgarian taste was launched at the council in Rozhen –

/View.info/ Until now, only two native products have been registered under the European schemes for Protected Geographical Indications

The campaign “Year of Geographical Indications in Bulgaria – Let’s protect the Bulgarian taste” was launched at the “Rozhen” Festival of Folk Art and Animal Husbandry on July 17, 18 and 19. MEP Momchil Nekov officially launched his initiative, which aims to create within one year a register of Bulgarian foods and products that can be included in the European schemes for Protected Geographical Indications.

At the moment, our country has registered only two products – rose oil and Gornoryahov sujuk. At the same time, countries such as Italy and France have over 200 and Greece over 100.

“We are known all over the world for the traditions and quality of Bulgarian food, but at the same time European quality guarantees are not yet well known in our country. These designations can contribute enormously to small and medium-sized producers, especially in remote areas where there are high levels of unemployment,” Nekov explained to attendees of the assembly.

According to the MEP, there are a number of native products that have the potential to be registered as Protected Geographical Indications (PGIs) or Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), such as Smilyan beans, Pomorie salt and Samokovo potatoes. Dozens of farmers visited the campaign stand, where his team explained details about the application and registration process. Additional information is available on the official website mnekov.eu, where citizens will be able to submit their proposals for the inclusion of products and foods.

The meeting in Rozhen is being held for the first time after a 9-year break. The legendary event turned into a real celebration of Bulgarian tradition and folklore, with over 200,000 visitors enjoying the performances of some of the most famous musical artists and ensembles in our country, as well as over 8,000 performers participating in the singing and the outplay.