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Ivan Khristov, a former Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture, has raised serious concerns about food safety in the country, stating that approximately seven million Bulgarians are unaware of what they are eating. His remarks come amid a recent scandal involving counterfeit cow's milk products sold in retail stores. According to Khristov, the problems within the Bulgarian Agency for Food Safety (BABH) cannot be resolved merely by changing leadership. He argues that the system requires a thorough cleansing of dependencies, increased resources for border control, and genuine independence for inspectors.

The controversy began after a third company reported selling German-made oil under the same name as the counterfeit product. This led to an investigation by the Commission for Protection of Competition, which imposed fines totaling nearly €310,000 on the two companies involved. The BABH confirmed that all quantities from both batches had been removed from the market and were being destroyed. These products had been sold in stores during the previous year.

Khristov expressed concern over the public reaction, noting that people became alarmed when this issue suddenly emerged, affecting children’s health. He criticized the current government for appearing helpless despite having previously demonstrated the ability to act decisively against such fraudulent activities. He pointed out that instead of taking proactive measures, the state now seems to be in a defensive mode.

According to Khristov, the attention of the BABH was drawn to unusually large quantities of oil arriving in massive blocks. He claimed that these shipments could potentially hide narcotics, prompting immediate notification to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The intercepted shipment was described as recently returned from the retail network and subsequently stored for delivery to small shops in smaller towns.

Khristov also warned about the influx of contraband food along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, suggesting that thousands of tons of such products are currently being poured into the sea. He indicated that the scheme involving counterfeit oil has existed since at least 2009–2010, with the only significant disruption occurring when he was minister.

He emphasized that there has always been a political cover-up worth billions of euros, which was partially dismantled during his tenure. However, he warned that replacing two firms with others would not change the underlying issues. He highlighted the fear of confronting such schemes but stressed that the greater problem lies in the lack of assurance regarding the safety of the food reaching consumers.

Khristov underscored that every time authorities take action against such criminal networks, they face apprehension. Yet, his primary concern remains the uncertainty surrounding the food consumed by millions of Bulgarians, including his own children. He called for a comprehensive overhaul of the existing systems to ensure transparency and safety in the food supply chain.