The European Commission has approved a Bulgarian state aid scheme worth €170 million aimed at supporting farmers who have faced a sharp rise in fuel and fertilizer prices. The decision was made against the backdrop of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, which has driven up the cost of energy resources and agricultural inputs across Europe. According to a statement from the European Commission's press service, published in Brussels, the measure will allow Bulgarian authorities to compensate farmers for part of the additional costs caused by external economic factors. The aid scheme was reviewed under EU state aid rules and found to comply with the requirements for anti-crisis measures in the agricultural sector. Such support schemes for farmers have become common practice among EU member states in recent years amid instability in global energy and commodity markets. Rising oil and gas prices, linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, have a direct impact on the cost of agricultural production, including fuel for machinery and the production of mineral fertilizers. The Commission's approval allows Bulgaria to begin distributing the funds to affected farms in accordance with established criteria. The measure is expected to help stabilize the country's agricultural sector and prevent a possible decline in agricultural output due to the increased financial burden on producers.