Bulgaria sets up additional control measures at border with Romania in areas hit by ASF

The Romanian Border Police have been notified by their Bulgarian counterparts regarding the introduction of measures to contain the spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF) in the areas bordering on Romania, including banning the importation of raw pork and processed pork products, the Coast Guard reported on Monday. 

According to the source, the Bulgarian border authorities informed the Romanian Border Police, through the Joint Contact Center Giurgiu-Ruse, that several regions in the northern part of Bulgaria were declared ASF-stricken disaster areas and, as a consequence, measures had to be taken to contain the spread of this virus to Bulgaria. 

In this regard, Bulgaria has banned imports of raw materials or foodstuffs of animal origin containing pork or various other pork products, unless they are accompanied by appropriate veterinary documentation, and the means of transport of the Romanian citizens may be subject to physical control at the border crossing points in Bulgaria, as a measure to support the embargo. 

"In order to avoid long lines, we recommend the drivers to use all the existing crossing points, so as to prevent the overloading of only some of them due to a large number of travellers in a very short time," said the Coast Guard. 

In Constanta County, at the border with Bulgaria, there are five border crossing points for motor vehicles with nine lanes coming into Romania the country and 10 lanes on the way out, at: Vama Veche - Durankulak; Ostrov - Silistra; Negru Voda - Kardam, and in Lipnita - Kainardja and Dobromir - Krushari, the crossing points are open to cars of a maximum total weight of 3.5 tonnes, operating 08:00 to 20:00hrs.