The claim may be hard to prove, but the basis for comments are justified and true.
Fact is, very little until CCD came around was done in the sense of looking at viral and bacterial issues with bees. There was never funding ever close to seriously look at and discover all the possible disease factors that are potentially there.
I think anyone, in light of the many pests already spread around the world and detrimental to bees, who stands and even remotely suggests that further harm or spread of disease is not possible....is either very uneducated, or is very foolish.
I find it ironic that people from one country that bans the importation of honey bees, and suggests that importation into another country is seemingly without risk, would even suggest so. You can not guarantee that some unknown disease would not be spread. But I could show you many that have already been spread.
In every corner of agriculture where one plant, animal or insect has been flown across the oceans, disease and destruction of the native habitat follows.
I will applaud the day that bee imports are banned.