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Çavuş: Foot-and-Mouth Disease Started from the Free Areas

Published March 16, 2026, 14:13
Çavuş: Foot-and-Mouth Disease Started from the Free Areas

The self-proclaimed "Minister of Agriculture" of the occupied territories, Hussein Çavuş, claimed that foot-and-mouth disease spread from the free areas and not from the occupied territories, accusing the Greek Cypriot side of attempting to avoid responsibility. He argued that all necessary measures were taken at the illegal ports in the occupied territories from May 2025, but the disease spread nonetheless. Çavuş stated that 9 positive cases were detected in cattle in Famagusta that "were illegally entering from the south" and that they informed the Greek Cypriot side. He claimed that the lack of reaction from the Republic of Cyprus proves that the disease was already present in the south, therefore the cases in the occupied territories came from there. He also argued that the disease appeared in the free areas before the occupied territories, but this was "hidden" for economic and political reasons. According to Çavuş, all cattle in the occupied territories have been vaccinated twice and the vaccination of small animals continues. 250,000 doses of vaccine were secured from Turkey and another 500,000 from the EU, while despite offers of cooperation, the situation in the free areas reached an "impasse", resulting in the Republic of Cyprus requesting 60,000 doses of vaccine from the occupied territories, a request that was granted. Çavuş assured that they are ready for cooperation and expressed hope that the situation will be overcome with minimal damage. Çavuş's statements are an attempt to shift the responsibility for the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and justify the delays in dealing with it in the occupied territories. The situation with foot-and-mouth disease remains critical and requires coordinated efforts to limit the spread of the disease in Cyprus.