Nicosia, Cyprus. Livestock farmers staged a protest on Sunday over the handling of a surge in foot-and-mouth disease cases, demanding an immediate halt to mass culling. Tensions briefly escalated when demonstrators blocked a main road in Nicosia.
Road blockade and warnings of further action
Protesters moved to the Kalispera traffic lights and blocked the road, causing significant congestion. Farmers remained at the scene for around half an hour.
A representative of the farmers warned that if culling does not stop, further measures would follow. “We demand that the minister stops the culling. We want an answer today. If we do not get one, we will shut down Rizoelia roundabout, the port and the airport,” he said, adding that the sector was being pushed to breaking point.
March to agriculture ministry and memorandum
Earlier, around 200 farmers gathered outside the GSP stadium before marching to the agriculture ministry, where they submitted a memorandum outlining their grievances.
According to banners displayed during the protest, the main message was that “with the culling for foot-and-mouth disease, it’s not only animals that are lost – families, livelihoods and our future are also being destroyed”.
Farmers describe impact and raise allegations
Some protesters described the situation as “merciless”. One farmer, Alexandros Ioannou, said his farm in Yeri had recently tested positive. “They came and started killing the animals without informing me beforehand. Our dreams are gone,” he said.
Others accused authorities of mismanaging the outbreak and failing to implement adequate preventive measures. One farmer alleged that infected livestock had been transported from affected areas to slaughterhouses with official approval, citing serious lapses in oversight.
What steps do you think authorities should take to address farmers’ concerns while containing the outbreak?