Brown bear meat will soon be sold to the public in Slovakia. The decision by the right-wing populist government has been reported in international media, according to which Slovakia plans to kill a third of the country's 1,300 bears, specifically 350 animals, after several attacks on people. The meat, considered a delicacy in Eastern Europe, will go on sale.
The brown bear is considered a "near threatened" species in the EU and enjoys special protection. The killing of a large number of specimens in Slovakia has been sharply criticized by environmentalists, opposition parties and the European Parliament, writes A2 CNN.
Starting next week, the government announced, organizations affiliated with the Ministry of Environment will be able to sell meat, once legal hygiene and sanitary conditions are guaranteed.
"We will release for consumption any killed bear that meets certain conditions," said Minister Filip Kuffa. "Why? Because bear meat is edible," reports A2 CNN
Bears have become a political issue in Slovakia, due to a growing number of attacks on people, some of them fatal. The country recorded 54 attacks between 2000 and 2020. The average number has increased to 10 per year.
Last April, a man was killed while walking in a forest in the center of the country.
Shortly afterwards, populist Prime Minister Robert Fico announced 350 killings, declaring that "we cannot live in a country where people are afraid to go to the forest." The government says the attacks are due to the excessive number of mammals in circulation. A thesis disputed by environmentalists, reports A2 CNN.
Bear meat is only consumed in a few countries in Eastern and Northern Europe and poses a risk of poisoning by Trichinella, a parasite. The European Union requires that the meat not be sold without a test for Trichinella. (A2 Televizion)
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