FOOT AND MOUTH - THE COMMISSION'S RESPONSE TO NOT KILLING ALL ANIMALS IN INFECTED UNITS IS NEGATIVE - DISAPPOINTMENT IN AGRICULTURAL ORGANISATIONS - Filenews 13/3
The European Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, is in Cyprus today, who will hold critical contacts on the foot-and-mouth disease crisis. He is expected to officially respond to the request of the Republic of Cyprus to deviate from the Regulation so that all animals in infected units are not killed.
The information of "F" states that the scenario of the Commission's response being positive is remote. This scenario was confirmed after a meeting between the European Commissioner and farmers' organisations and producers' representatives. As stated by the honorary president of the Panagrotiki Union of Cyprus (PEK), Michalis Lytras, today's meeting with Mr. Várhelyi "has not made anything more" than they had already been told and informed by the competent minister. "He simply reiterated to us that the regulation that exists on these issues will be implemented without any relaxation and that the European Union, by applying the regulation, whatever it intends to help, will help," he added.
"The meeting with the European Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare did not have any positive development," the Secretary General of the Union of Cypriot Farmers (EKA), Panikos Hambas, told filenews, adding that they are waiting to see what the President of the Republic will say at the afternoon meeting on the issue at the Presidential Palace.
In the morning, the Commissioner went to the "ZENON" Coordination Center at Larnaca Airport for a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panagiotou, as well as with representatives of affected livestock units.
This was followed by a meeting with the stakeholders, including agricultural organizations, producers' representatives, and officials of competent state services. The Commissioner will also have meetings with representatives of political parties, before being received at the Presidential Palace by the President of the Republic. The Commissioner will make statements from the Presidential Palace.
The information of "F"
Despite intense pressure and Nicosia's requests for an exemption from the measure of killing animals in infected units, the information coming from Brussels in the last 24 hours was discouraging. According to sources, it is considered very difficult or impossible to grant any derogation, as this has never happened before for similar cases within the EU.
The European Commission, after examining the specific data of Cyprus (geographical isolation, small production size), seems to insist on the strict application of Regulation 2020/687. As reported, even the intervention of the President of the Republic to Ursula von der Leyen does not seem capable of changing the data.
