FOOT & MOUTH - ANIMAL KILLINGS ARE FROZEN - CHRSTODOULIDES' INTERVENTION WITH URSULA von der LEYEN TO SAVE LIVESTOCK FARMING - Filenews 9/3 by Angelos Nikolaou
In an effort to stem the crisis affecting the primary sector of Cyprus, the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, convened an extraordinary meeting yesterday at the Presidential Palace.
The central conclusion of the meeting with the stakeholders was the temporary suspension of animal killings, in the units where cases of foot-and-mouth disease were confirmed, pending critical diplomatic contacts with the European Union.
After all, the data of the Veterinary Services, 15 days after the confirmation of the first case in the free areas, reflect the magnitude of the threat. So far, foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed in 34 units, of which 3 concern cows and 31 sheep and goats. The spread of the virus affects more than 30,000 animals, putting the country's domestic production and export capacity at immediate risk.
Before the decision on the temporary freeze was made, the toll of losses was already heavy. According to official data, 14,166 animals, 13,897 sheep and goats and 269 cows have been killed.
Nicosia has already started intense processes with Brussels, with the Ministry of Agriculture being in constant communication with the European Commission. The Ministry has submitted a request to end the mass killings and consider possible adjustments to the management of the situation.
However, the seriousness of the situation leads the effort to the highest level, since there has been no differentiation in the position of the European Commission, due to the severity and high contagiousness of the disease.
The Government Spokesman, Konstantinos Letympiotis, announced that the President of the Republic himself is expected to personally address the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, claiming a solution that will take into account the special characteristics of Cyprus.
In this context, the Republic of Cyprus will submit a formal request for a derogation from the existing protocols, requesting the implementation of strategic continuous vaccination throughout the livestock. The aim of the proposal is to stabilize the situation, avoid further mass killings and effectively protect livestock farming.
Despite the decision to suspend the killings pending developments, the landscape remains murky for livestock farmers. In particular, it was not clarified whether the killings concern exclusively infected units without vaccination, while it remains unclear whether the positive animals in units that have been vaccinated will eventually be led to slaughter and what the timing will be.
Despite the call for an end to mass killings, the European Commission has so far appeared hesitant due to the high contagiousness of the disease. The Legal Service is attending the discussions to ensure the legal shielding of the next steps, while a new meeting has already been scheduled within the week under the President to determine the final strategy.
"Our goal is to preserve the primary sector. We stand by those affected," the President of the Republic stressed, underlining that the government is looking for ways to adapt the protocols to the real situation in the country.
The strategy of... survival
Cyprus' livestock farming is at a critical crossroads. The traditional European recipe of "stamping-out" (killing and landfilling of infected animals) seems to be reaching its limits, with experts warning of the risk of a complete collapse of the industry.
Today, we present the Policy Brief that proposes a radical change of course: the transition from mass killings to systematic vaccination.
Cyprus is the only case in the EU where the disease is not just a random occurrence, but a constant threat. The reason lies in the geopolitical peculiarity of the island.
In areas not controlled by the Republic, the disease is endemic, animal movements are uncontrolled and a different veterinary policy is applied.
The virus is not constantly circulating in the free areas, making the strategy of killing "a free gift", since the livestock is exterminated without eradicating the source of the evil.
Based on the analysis of experts, Cyprus should claim a special derogation from the European Commission. The proposal includes:
Transition to systematic vaccination: Instead of waiting for the outbreak to act, preventive vaccination of the entire livestock is proposed.
Change of status: Cyprus to be internationally recognized as "FMD free with vaccination", in accordance with the standards of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
Halloumi Protection: Experts emphasize that the strategy must be carefully designed so that there are no restrictions on the export of our national product, while ensuring animal health.
As they indicate, "the strategy of stamping-out in conditions of continuous reinfection is no longer sustainable. It leads to the depletion of livestock and the loss of our food security."
The legal and epidemiological basis of the request for vaccination is strong:
◗ As an island without land borders with other EU member states, vaccination in Cyprus does not pose a risk of spreading the virus to the rest of Europe.
◗ The Accession Treaty itself recognizes that the acquis does not apply to the northern part of the island, so the Republic faces an objective inability to control the source.
