Murska Sobota police administration received calls from several beekeepers again on Sunday after several such reports were made in the previous days.
The most recently affected are three beekeepers with a total of 150 beehives in Puconci, 49 beehives in Centiba near Lendava and a beekeeper with 20 beehives in Nedelica.
The police examined the scenes of the incidents and agriculture inspectors have taken samples, which will be analysed to determine the exact cause of the deaths.
On Saturday, the affected beekeepers were visited by Agriculture Minister Dejan Zidan, along with chief agriculture, forestry and food inspector and head of the Beekeepers' Association Bostjan Noc.
The officials ascertained that bees keep dying and that the scope of affected beekeepers is spreading.
Noc said that bee deaths had been reported by 19 beekeepers with more than 1,000 beehives, representing more than 10% of Pomurje bees.
He said that teams of inspectors had not gotten around to visit all of the affected bee farms yet. These are mainly in areas where oilseed rape is grown, but not exclusively.
According to the official, reports about bee deaths are also coming from Hungary.
SOURCE: The Slovenia Times
