The Minister of Environment and Water Asen Lichev will resume the procedure for issuing an opinion by the RIEW-Sofia on the activity of a pilot insect farm in the area of ​​the Sofia village of Lozen.

Minister Lichev was asked by the director of RIEW-Sofia to resume the procedure, after receiving a signal from the MOEW, in which citizens residing in the village expressed dissatisfaction with the investment plans to build the farm.

The notification for investment proposal by NASECOMO AD was submitted to RIEW-Sofia in June 2021 for internal reconstruction of a production and administrative building into a pilot insect farm. On 21.09.2021 RIEW-Sofia expresses its position in a letter that the requested investment proposal is not subject to the regulated EIA procedures, and that during its implementation there is no likelihood of negative impact on the protected areas of the Natura 2000 network, including the nearest Lozenska mountain.

After the resumption of the proceedings by Minister Asen Lichev, RIEW-Sofia will decide again on the notification of investment proposal, in accordance with the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act.

A letter to the Executive Director of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) will extend an invitation for participation by experts from the BFSA in a joint inspection of the existing regulations for the requested production activity.