Dutch Flower Transports Without Papers To Be Destroyed – Romanian Agric Min

Checks on the flower transports from the Netherlands stopped in Romanian customs have turned up one or two shipments without plant health passports, which will be destroyed, said Romanian Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabara on Tuesday, adding that there are also suspicions of tax evasion.

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"Live plants or biological material may not be transported without the plant health passport. Every illegal shipment will be destroyed," he said.

Every transport of seed or flowers from the Netherlands has been checked in customs, because of suspicions that they are carrying certain dangerous bacteria. The National Plant Health Agency has taken samples for analysis; the results are expected Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning, said the minister.

Some Dutch MEPs have complained that the "blockade" of Dutch flowers and bulbs on the Hungary-Romania border is "blackmail." They say the decision's timing is suspicious, as it comes after the Dutch government's announcement that it would veto Romania's accession to the Schengen Area.

Tabara commented that the import ban is unrelated to the Schengen issue and defended Romania's right to take such precautionary measures.

Romanian authorities checked 15 trucks carrying seeds and flowers from the Netherlands in the last four days, seizing 12 transports and returning three to the supplier, fiscal regulator ANAF announced Monday.

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