TO MR. NIHAD KABIL
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTS

STATEMENT OF OPINION of BOYKO BORISOV, MAYOR OF SOFIA MUNICIPALITY

Regarding the Animal Protection Bill
Drafted by the National Veterinary Service/Office at the Ministry
Agriculture and Forests/

DEAR MR. KABIL,

Regarding the forthcoming accession of Bulgaria to the European Union, and lead by the conviction that our country should endorse universal humane and European values, I take the liberty to support the adoption of Animal Protection Act, following the European member states, where the existence of regulatory framework on animal protection is tradition.

In this respect, I consider Bulgaria should benefit from the European standard for an applicable animal protection act, which is to regulate the relationships between the executive and local authorities, the NGO's and animal owners with regard to the humane treatment of animals.

Regarding/taking into consideration some specific problems related to animals and my experience as Mayor of Sofia, I consider as vital the presence of several crucial points in our animal protection act:

- control on the application of the act through co-operation of governmental institutions, including the police and the animal protection NGO's;

- control over the kept in-house pets, where no inefficient restrictions on their numbers are imposed, which will provoke the abandonment or ?hoarding. The strict control on the observance of the regulatory requirements on the humane treatment of animals will guarantee the peaceful coexistence between pet owners and their neighbours;

- criminalizing of cruelty to animals;

- implementation of the internationally recognized method: "TNR" (catch- neuter-release) for solving the stray animals population problems;

- annihilation of the term 'isolator' and its replacement with the term 'shelter' in compliance with the European Convention No 125;

- sanctioning of mobile clinics, which lead to foreign investment in the issue, and the coping with the canine population will be achieved in shorter terms and at considerably lower cost.

In general, I consider that the animal protection act shall put to practice all European and internationally recognized methods, whereas for some specific problems the experience of some neighbouring countries, as Greece, may be used.

I am convinced that Bulgaria will join the European Union in concord with the European traditions, will have an Animal Protection Act, which will guarantee the welfare of people, as well as the humane treatment of animas.

Boyko Borisov
Mayor of Sofia Municipality