Protest march in Plovdiv - "STOP THE INVASION OF THE GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS IN BULGARIA!"
On July 18th (sunday) at 17:00 o'clock Environmental association "Za Zemiata", Green Balkans, Agrolink and A SEED Europe, organize a protest march against invasion of the Genetically Modified Organizms in Bulgaria. The March starts at the central square (in front of the post office) in Plovdiv
On July 13th (tuesday) from 17 a debate will take place, combined with film screening in the office of Green Balkans Federation. Address: 160 Shesti Septemvri Bullevard.
On 08.06, Tuesday, Za Zemiata (For the Earth) Ecological Association, with the support of "Bulgaria - GMO Free Zone" coalition organised a protest demonstration with sending in a petition to the Bulgarian Parliament and the President of  Bulgaria against the legislation initiative to allow genetically manipulated organisms and food to be distributed in environment and sold for consumption
On 08.06, Tuesday, Za Zemiata (For the Earth) Ecological Association, with the support of "Bulgaria - GMO (genetically modified organisms) Free Zone" coalition organised a protest demonstration with sending in a petition to the Bulgarian Parliament and the President of Bulgaria against legislation initiative to allow genetically manipulated organisms and food to be distributed in environment and sold for consumption.
About 200 people took part in the protest march against genetically modified organisms and food. The evening before the protest posters were put all over the central part of Sofia, inviting the people to take up an active position regarding the invasion of genetically modified organisms in Bulgaria, as well as to take part in the protest demonstration. Activists put stickers "Genetically Modified Food" on several McDonalds restaurants.
On June 8th, about 6 pm, to the accompaniment of drums, whistles and booing, the procession took up from "Alexander Nevsky" square towards the Parliament. With the slogans "No to GMO", "Stop the invasion of GMO in Bulgaria", "Mutant Parliament" the participants handed in a petition signed by over 2000 people up to now, to a representative of the Parliament. Then the procession set off for the President's office, carrying a 3 meter tall Frankenstein puppet, with the word "Mutanto" on its back - by analogy with "Monsanto". Some were dressed in white overalls, surgical masks and gloves. On the masks, a red X was drawn, to show that people are turned into figure-heads, having no right to choose after the vote for the draft act of GMO. There were posters with signs "Mutant food - mutant souls", "No to the killer food". Booklets explaining the problem with genetically modified food were given out.
It is interesting to notice that no one from the Ppesident's administration condescended to come out before the people protesting on the square in front of the main entrance, but they asked the petition to be handed in by representatives of the coalition on the back entrance...Let's hope that though this petition was accepted by the President's office through the back entrance, it won't be left in the background.
On the next day, June 9th, in the Sofia City Art Gallery, a debate about the genetically modified organisms was held.
In the debate took part:
- dr. Didi Baev (a research associate in molecular biology and genetics at the Stomatological faculty of State University of New York in Buffalo, USA);
- Dr. Dimitur Jilyanov (Agrobioinstitute);
- Theodora Litrova ("Oborishte" Movement for National Renaissance, member of National Movement "Simeon the Second" /the ruling coalition in Bulgaria/, member of the Environment and Waters comittee in the 39th National Assembly, a biocybernetics engineer);
- Svetla Nikolova (chairman of the "Agrolink" Association of sustainable decisions for the environment);
- Dr. Atanas Galabov (a physician homeopat).
Moderator: Alexander Kodjabashev (lawyer, Center for Ecological Law)
 The debate started with showing some footage from the protest and a screening of the documentary "Genetically engineered plants in Bulgaria", comparing the oficial position of a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture with REALITY.
The hall was full. There were many young people there. But representatives of institutions - the Ministry of Environment and Waters and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (which proposed the draft act of GMO to the Parliament) weren't present, though they were invited.
The debate was spirited, with the active participation of the audience and a lot of questions. Arguments "Pro" and "Contra" GMO were compared.
Demonstration Against the Draft Law for GMO in Bulgaria
On March 25, 2004, Thursday, from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm, in front of the main entrance of the National Assembly on Alexander Batenberg square, a protest was held against introduction and distribution of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in Bulgaria. It was related to the proposed GMO Bill, which already passed a first reading in the Parliament Environmental Commission.
According to many experts and representatives of environmental groups, joined in coalition "Bulgaria - Zone Free of GMO", the proposed bill was introduced under the pressure of multinational corporations, striving to turn Bulgaria into a test field for GMO and a Trojan horse for advancing of genetically modified foods and plants into Europe. The proposed Bill poses serious risks and threats to human health and the ecosystems. The young protesters demanded protection of the interests of the people and nature, instead of those of the multinational corporations, as well placing a moratorium on production and distribution of GMO in Bulgaria.
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