Nicosia, Cyprus. Agricultural organisations rejected ongoing farmers’ protests over the foot-and-mouth outbreak, as police warned that gatherings could increase transmission risks and involve individuals unrelated to the livestock sector.
Positions presented to House agriculture committee
The positions were set out during a session of the House agriculture committee, where representatives of farming bodies called for restraint and continued dialogue.
Farming union EKA’s president Panikos Hampas said the sector was acting with “responsibility through dialogue, not the street”, describing Thursday’s gathering at the Rizoelia junction as “irresponsible”, and alleging that some were exploiting the situation for political purposes.
Panagrotikos president Tasos Yiapanis called for decisions based on evidence, referring to the need for “documentation and not blind reactions”, while Euroagrotikos’ chairman Lambros Achilleos said “200 livestock farmers cannot be allowed to pollute the entirety of Cyprus.”
Concerns over containment and Green Line movement
Nea Agrotiki’s spokesman, Christakis Papayiannis, raised concerns over illegal movement of goods and animals across the Green Line, which organisations said undermines containment efforts.
Police warning on participation and public order
Police informed the committee that individuals with no connection to livestock farming were encouraging participation in protests.
Police representative Ioannis Kapnoullas described them as “self-appointed protectors” and warned that such actions could lead to public disorder and increase the risk of spreading the disease through gatherings in affected areas.
Updated figures on outbreak and culling
Updated figures presented during the session outlined the scale of the outbreak.
The agriculture ministry’s permanent secratery, Andreas Grigoriou, said that as of today, 104 livestock units in Nicosia and Larnaca had been identified with foot-and-mouth disease, including 13 cattle units, 88 sheep and goat units and three pig units.
He said 37,066 sheep and goats had been culled, representing 8.1 per cent of the total population, along with 2,247 cattle, while 21,644 pigs were in the process of being culled, corresponding to about seven per cent of the total.
How do you think authorities should balance disease containment measures with farmers’ right to protest?
