The Bulgarian government has agreed to a temporary suspension of imports of Ukrainian sunflower seeds following farmers’ protests in the country, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov announced today, pledging to support the production of Bulgarian farmers.

In April, the EU allowed five member states — Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia — to ban trade in Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seeds on their territory, a decision that it was done with the aim of protecting their own farmers, who attributed to these imports the fall in prices in their own domestic markets. Last Friday, Brussels decided not to extend these bans, but Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced the unilateral continuation of the embargo.

On the contrary, Bulgaria decided not to extend the ban on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products.

On Monday, unions and farmers’ associations, protesting the lifting of this ban, went on a national mobilization blocking major roads and border crossings.

Today, Ilya Prodanov, a representative of the agricultural union, confirmed to the bTV television network that the agreement on the temporary suspension of the import of Ukrainian sunflower seeds was reached yesterday, Tuesday evening, with the government.

The import of Ukrainian sunflower seeds will be suspended until Bulgaria and Ukraine agree on their respective import quotas.

Bulgarian grain producers are also demanding a ban on wheat, corn and rapeseed imports from Ukraine.