Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus officials and MPs on Tuesday called for coordinated action with the Turkish Cypriot community to contain foot and mouth disease, warning that gaps in response across the island risk further outbreaks.
Committee discussions and calls for coordination
The need for engagement through the bicommunal technical committee was raised during a meeting of the House agriculture committee, with Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou saying there is a clear need for “a mutual approach to the problem”.
The issue dominated discussions among government representatives, MPs and agricultural organisations, with concern focused on a lack of alignment in measures between government-controlled areas and the north.
Committee chairman Yiannakis Gavriel said earlier coordination could have altered the course of the outbreak and argued there should have been communication with the Turkish Cypriot side as early as December 2025, when cases first emerged.
He warned that without parallel action, “there will be a new infection even after the virus has been treated”.
Questions over interventions and vaccination timing
Questions were raised over the handling of the outbreak and the timing of interventions, including why vaccinations were not introduced earlier in the government-controlled areas.
Panayiotou said decisions are taken in line with strict protocols, while Veterinary Services Director Christodoulos Pipis said vaccinations could only begin after cases were officially identified within areas under the republic’s authority.
EU standards and limits on action in the north
Pipis said authorities are seeking alignment with European standards, adding that the aim is “to create a joint committee for the management of veterinary issues on the basis of the EU directive”.
He said state services cannot operate in the north and can only report confirmed cases to European and international bodies to trigger response mechanisms.
Pipis also cited structural challenges, saying EU law is not applied in those areas and that European officials face difficulties accessing them.
What steps do you think are needed to improve coordination on disease control measures across the island?