Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Minister Maria Panayiotou appeared before the House Agriculture Committee to answer questions regarding the government’s response to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, particularly the mass culling of animals and the wider economic impact.
Members of parliament raised concerns about the management of the outbreak, with some accusing the authorities of lacking a clear strategy and reacting belatedly to developments.
Concerns over impact on farmers and the economy
DISY MP Charalambos Pazaros said the response from the beginning had not been handled as effectively as it should have been. “From the first case detected in the occupied areas we called for measures to be taken,” he said, referring to the concerns expressed by livestock farmers.
He noted that the virus has struck at the centre of the livestock sector, where major investments have been made in farming units worth hundreds of thousands of euros. “These are people who have taken out loans and now face an uncertain future,” he said.
Pazaros also called for clarification on the surveillance measures implemented along the Green Line and asked whether the government is considering ways to support affected farmers in servicing their loans, including the possibility of temporarily freezing repayments. He further questioned whether export volumes of halloumi are being safeguarded and warned that large-scale culling could have serious economic consequences.
“We cannot proceed to cull 200,000 to 300,000 animals. This will affect the economy through reduced milk production,” he said.
Questions over mass culling policy
House Agriculture Committee chairman and AKEL MP Giannakis Gavriel said authorities appear to be reacting rather than implementing a clear strategy. “Unfortunately we are running behind events,” he said, focusing in particular on the policy of mass culling.
“If a case appears in Paphos, will we cull 500,000 animals? And how will we replace them?” he asked. Gavriel also questioned whether the disease would actually be eradicated through culling if it continues to exist in the occupied areas.
Referring to earlier statements from the Ministry that Cyprus is required under EU legislation to implement mass culling, Gavriel cited European regulations that allow for possible derogations. He argued that the competent authority could decide to suspend culling measures and said approval from the European Commission is not necessarily required to deviate from this approach. “We want to know on what basis the competent authority began with culling before first implementing the necessary preventive measures,” he said.
Criticism over lack of coordination
AKEL MP Andreas Pasiourtides also criticised what he described as inconsistent and reactive decision-making in recent weeks. “It appears that there is no plan and that the measures being taken are fragmented,” he said.
He noted that veterinary staff who were conducting vaccinations in Larnaca in the morning were transferred to Paphos later the same day to continue vaccinations there. Pasiourtides also questioned whether the Republic of Cyprus has a clear picture of the spread of the virus in the occupied areas.
He called for immediate clarity on whether the government intends to continue with mass culling or adopt an alternative approach.