Farmers weigh new measures
Livestock farmers protest mass animal culls due to foot-and-mouth disease and are set to meet in the coming days to decide on further action.
The move comes after no positive response to their request for a meeting with the President of the Republic, according to farmers’ representative Stella Petrou.
No meeting expected with President
Petrou said statements from the Presidential Palace indicate that the possibility of such a meeting has effectively been ruled out.
Farmers continue to insist that mass culling measures, introduced to contain the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, should be suspended.
They are now awaiting a response to an alternative proposal they have submitted, which they requested be forwarded to the European Commission.
Diverging views within sector
Asked about alternative approaches to managing the crisis, the president of the Pancyprian Organisation of Cattle Farmers (POA), Nikos Papakyriakou, said such options had already been examined in the early stages of the outbreak in February.
He noted that the European Commission had rejected these alternatives, adding that the POA does not wish to come into conflict with the EU or risk export activity.
Concerns over funding and controls
Papakyriakou said POA’s demands focus on EU responsibility for overseeing €12 million in funds allocated to Turkish Cypriot farmers to tackle animal diseases.
He argued that EU protocols are not being implemented in areas outside government control.
At the same time, POA also pointed to the responsibility of the Republic of Cyprus to strengthen checks along the Green Line.
No new cases reported
Regarding the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, Veterinary Services confirmed on Monday morning that no additional cases have been detected beyond the 104 already reported.
The figure was presented by the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Andreas Gregoriou, before the House of Representatives on 23 April.
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