Guild Members are invited to apply to attend a low-budget media trip to Bulgaria – on a visit organised by the European Network of Agricultural Journalists.
Held from 2-5 June, the visit to Bulgaria has the added attraction of meeting EU farm ministers as they convene for June’s informal council meeting in the current EU Presidency state.
ENAJ communications manager Adrian Bell says: “These ‘meet the minister’ events have become an annual staple within ENAJ’s press trip schedule with visits to Denmark, Ireland, Greece, the Netherlands, Estonia and Latvia over the last six years.”
UK farm minister George Eustice was among those who attended a previous council meeting and ENAJ visit to Riga, Latvia, in 2015.
Adrian says: “During each of those Presidencies, ENAJ and the host country has strived to produce a valuable programme of visits, catering to all tastes and interests, to provide ENAJ members with a variety of ‘take-home’ stories and knowledge about member states’ agricultural industries.
“This year, our colleagues in the Bulgarian Guild have worked closely with their agricultural ministry to draft a very informative and exciting programme for June, in addition to the unique opportunity to meet – and interview – the EU’s 28 agriculture ministers in the same room.”
As well as the ‘meet the minister’ session, this year’s itinerary includes ‘balneotourism’ – Bulgaria is rich in mineral springs – organic fruit and vegetables, dairy farming, winemaking and more.
Delegates on the trip will stay in an ‘eco-hotel’ with its own botanical garden and greenhouse for vegetable production.
Herbs and flower production will also feature heavily: Bulgaria is the world leader in lavender production and 92% of all the world’s herb species are found growing in the country.
As usual, participants will have to make their own way to and from Sofia airport, and pay a contribution towards the cost of accommodation, meals and transport.
Fees will be €100 for a sharing room and €160 for a single room.
A full itinerary for the trip is available online.
The number of seats for the trip is strictly limited so applying for a place does not guarantee your place.
To register your interest in attending, email the Guild’s ENAJ representative Adrian Bell at adrian.bell@agromavens.com no later than Thursday, 10 May.
