Brown Bear Meat, a protected species in the EU, could soon be available for consumption in Slovakia after the sales plans approved by the Populista Slovak Government on Wednesday, May 28. However, the brown bear is still classified as an “almost threatened species” in the EU by the World Union for Nature.
This announcement follows the green light granted last month to the killing of 350 animals by the coalition government, between different nationalist training. Last month, the Cabinet had authorized a plan destined to demolish approximately a quarter of the country’s brown bear, in response to certain recent mortal meetings.
Last April, Slovakia had declared the state of emergency in many regions about the presence of more than 1,300 bears, after the attack report.
“We cannot live in a country where people are afraid to go to the forest,” said Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
At the moment, the Matanza of brown bears is only authorized in case of degradation of material goods or interactions with one or more people, where when you have to move the animal due to lack of solution.
A decision strongly criticized by environmental defenders and opposition politicians, especially in the European Parliament.
A “without a tail or head” choice
Starting with the NGO, we are forest that denounced a “without tail or head” choice, indicating that this measure will contribute to the creation of future “state butchers that offer the meat of protected animals”, and will encourage poaching.
Miroslava Abelova, a member of Greenpeace Slovakia, described the “completely reckless” massacre plan, accusing the government of ignoring conservation laws and scientific advice.
On the political class side, Michal Wiezik, a European environmental and progressive vice president for the Slovakia opposition party, said last month with the BBC that the government’s plan was absurd and that had failed to limit the number of attacks “by the unprecedented massacre of this protected species.”
The environmental deputy also said that thousands of meetings took place each year without incident and expected the European Commission to intervene.
54 bear attacks between 2000 and 2020
Slovakia occupies second place in Europe, behind Romania, where it is estimated that it has around 13,000 brown bears.
The country has identified a total of 54 bears attacks between 2000 and 2020. The average number of attacks has also increased to 10 per year, according to approximate figures, reports the BBC.
If bear meat is not commonly consumed in Europe, it is considered a delicate dish that in some regions, such as Eastern Europe and Nordic countries.
In most EU member states, strict hunting regulations and the state of protected bears make the meat rare. When so, it generally comes from controlled killing or authorized fighters, and is not very widespread in restaurants or stores.
Source: BFM TV
