The Regional Food Safety Directorate (RFSB) in Haskovo has legalized a barn with 300 cattle in a non-existent building, whose coordinates indicate a parking lot. This is evident from a protocol with which the directorate legalizes the barn in the village of Momkovo, Svilengrad. Just a few months ago, an illegal cigarette factory was discovered there, after which it turned out that several institutions were officially unaware of the existence of this building.
The report, drawn up by two inspectors from the Food Safety Directorate, gives the GPS coordinates of the site – x 41.8303, latitude 26.1409, and it is noted that this is a farm for raising large ruminants, with a capacity of 150 cattle and 150 calves.
However, a check on Google Earth showed that these coordinates point to a parking lot more than 100 meters away from the place where the animals in question are raised.
A copy of the report was provided to Za Istinata after a request under the Access to Public Information Act (APIA) and with the assistance of the Access to Information Program (AIP).
The document issued by the state institution does not specify the building in which these animals will be kept.
The inspection report shows that the inspection for registration of the livestock facility was carried out on January 15, 2024. It contains a detailed description of aspects such as hygiene, disinfection, humane treatment of animals, and feeding methods. The document is signed by Dr. M. Krastev and Dr. N. Rakov. The two inspected “Facility Farm 6542-0250,” located in the village of Momkovo, area……, on land with identification number №……, according to a sketch of Land Property…… issued by the Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre Service – Haskovo UPI 10102 and 10103, owned by “Extra Milk EOOD.”
Where there are dots, the data in the protocol has not been filled in, and these are mandatory requirements for this document. It must be noted what kind of building the animals will be kept in and what its square footage is. Such animals require 3 square meters each, which makes a total of about 1 decare of necessary space.
It turns out that there is no building, but there is a permit for raising animals.
It should be noted here that the procedure for registering such a facility is quite complex and, among other requirements, it is stipulated that there must also be GPS coordinates, which must be at the entrance to the barn.
In this case, this is not the case.
An inspection established that the first site on the cadastral map under No. 10103 is where the animals are currently located, although according to the documents there is no building there, and the second site, under No. 10102, is closest to the GPS coordinates, but there are no animals there.
Although there are omissions and discrepancies in this document, the Commission concludes that the facility meets the general and specific requirements and recommends that a registration certificate be issued. The specified capacity of the facility is 300 head of cattle for milk and reproduction.
Interestingly, on the day of the inspection – January 15, 2024 – Director Dr. Georgi Iliev issued a Certificate of Registration of a Livestock Facility No. 2862/15.01.2024. It is valid indefinitely.
It remains unclear which facility the officials inspected, as the Municipality of Svilengrad stated that it had not issued a building permit for a dairy farm and that its archives contained no documents relating to the facility where the animals are kept.
Interestingly, on the day of the inspection – January 15, 2024 – Director Dr. Georgi Iliev issued a Certificate of Registration of a Livestock Facility No. 2862/15.01.2024. It is valid indefinitely.
It remains unclear which facility the officials inspected, as the Municipality of Svilengrad stated that it had not issued a building permit for a dairy farm and that its archives contained no documents relating to the facility where the animals are kept.
