Bulgaria approves law to ban GMO crops

Bulgaria's parliament voted on Thursday to tighten a law that effectively banned cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops for scientific and commercial reasons in response to public fears, Reuters reported.

Groups blast veiled decision-making at European Commission as mining industry revels in rejection of crucial Parliamentary resolution

Environmental organisations have today criticised Commissioner Janez Potocnik for heeding mining industry lobbyists over a democratically elected European Parliament, in failing to open public discussions and rejecting a resolution to ban the use of cyanide in mining processes throughout the European Union.

NGO Call S.O.S. Bastroe Channel

Source: CEIE
27 non-governmental organisations /NGOs/ – members of the Romanian "Bastroe NGO Task Force", and DEF Romania network, joined their efforts in "Save Danube Delta Campaign" to prevent a channel construction through the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. They urge other NGOs to address a request to the President and the Prime Minister of Ukraine to provide the concerned community access to timely and accurate information about the Bastroe Channel Project.

According to Eco Counselling Centre Galati (Danube Environmental Forum - National Focal Point Romania) information Ukraine is planning to construct a deep-water navigation canal "The Danube - The Black Sea". The Ministry of Transport of Ukraine insists on pursuing a variant, which passes through the Bystroye Estuary of the Danube Delta, which is located in a specially protected area of the Danube Biosphere Reserve.

The construction of the canal through Bystroye Estuary will cause degradation of natural communities in the Danube Delta, as well as destroy traditional forms of nature management, and can result in the worsening of social and economic conditions in the region. The accomplishment and realization of this project will violate the principles of management of biosphere reserves defined by UNESCO in its "The Man and Biosphere" Program.

The building of the canal through the Bystroye Estuary threatens the very existence of Danube Biosphere Reserve and Ukrainian Ramsar lands "The Danube Delta", Eco Counselling Centre Galati reports.

Related Links
Eco Counselling Centre Galati
Save the Danube biosphere reserve!