Nicosia, Cyprus. Disy leader Annita Demetriou and Greek Food Minister Margaritis Schinas discussed recent foot and mouth disease outbreaks affecting Cyprus and Greece. They also addressed EU-level management of the issue and planned reforms to the common agricultural policy.
Foot and mouth disease situation in Cyprus and Greece
Demetriou said she and Schinas discussed the outbreaks at length and exchanged ways of managing the problem at the European Union level. She said the disease has “plagued” both countries in recent months.
More than 100 farms have been impacted in Cyprus. In Greece, the outbreak has been centred on the Aegean island of Lesvos, where cases have been found at 76 farms in the last three weeks and 116 farms since the middle of March.
EU agricultural policy reforms and budget framework
Demetriou said Schinas informed her about the priorities of his portfolio and planned reforms to the EU’s common agricultural policy.
The European Commission is reportedly planning to cut as much as €85 billion from the policy’s budget over the course of the next multiannual financial framework. The multiannual financial framework is the EU’s multi-year budget, with the current framework covering 2021 through next year, and the next framework covering 2028 to 2034. The current framework allocated €385 billion for the common agricultural policy.
Comments on bilateral relations
Demetriou said Greece “has been and remains our most enduring and strongest ally,” adding that a brotherly relationship spans the spectrum of cooperation between the two sides.
How do you think Cyprus and Greece should coordinate their response to foot and mouth disease at the EU level?
