Christodoulides to hold meetings on foot-and-mouth disease measures and farmers’ concerns

Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides will hold two consecutive meetings on Tuesday on developments surrounding foot and mouth disease, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Saturday.

Veterinary services meeting

In the first meeting, Christodoulides is scheduled to meet veterinary services to receive an update on the measures taken, including compensation payments to farmers, and to assess them. Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou and the director general of her ministry will also attend.

Meeting with farmers organisations

In the second meeting, Christodoulides will meet farmers organisations, including the newly founded “voice of livestock breeders” association. The discussion is expected to focus on farmers’ concerns and ongoing challenges.

Strike over FMD measures

The meetings were announced after livestock farmers held an all-day strike on Friday outside the GSP stadium and the presidential palace to protest foot and mouth disease measures, including further culling of animals, and to demand a meeting with the president.