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EU Commission Support for Foot-and-Mouth Disease - 529,000 Vaccines by Saturday

Published February 26, 2026, 17:08
EU Commission Support for Foot-and-Mouth Disease - 529,000 Vaccines by Saturday

Cyprus is receiving support from the European Commission in tackling the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, as assured by European Commissioner for Animal Health, Oliver Varhelyi, during his visit to the island. The EU will financially assist farmers, advise the government, and contribute to animal vaccination. Mr. Varhelyi emphasized the importance of adhering to EU rules for controlling the virus, which he described as among the safest in the world, and highlighted the criticality of the first two weeks for limiting the spread. By Saturday, 529,000 vaccines are expected to be delivered to Cyprus from the EU, with 60,000 already received from the occupied territories. The Minister of Agriculture, Maria Panagiotou, thanked the Commissioner for the support and assured preparations for the universal vaccination of animals.