Bulgaria and Germany abstained from voting on the introduction of legulation on new genomic techniques at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council Meeting in Brussels. This was announced by Agriculture Minister Kiril Vatev. He explained that Bulgaria's stance takes into account the public attitude on the issue in the country. The proposal was not adopted because of the large number of votes against it. Minister Vatev told the media that new genomic techniques are wrongly perceived as GMOs.

"GMOs have long been obsolete. The new genomic techniques are doing wonders, with the whole of Europe lagging behind in this respect, unlike Japan, China and the USA'', Kiril Vatev said, quoted by the BNR’s correspondent in Brussels Angelina Piskova. Minister Vatev pointed out that on the basis of these achievements Japan has created tomatoes that regulate blood pressure. "The market, based on climate change and market competition, will guide all farmers and consumers to adopt the new genomic techniques", Kiril Vatev said.