Politis

Occupied Territories: Increased Checks at Checkpoints Due to Foot-and-Mouth Disease – Chavush Accusations

Published February 27, 2026, 17:13
Occupied Territories: Increased Checks at Checkpoints Due to Foot-and-Mouth Disease – Chavush Accusations

Checks are being intensified at the checkpoints in the occupied territories due to the foot-and-mouth disease crisis. "Minister of Agriculture" Hussein Chavush accuses the free areas of concealing cases and smuggling animals, claiming that the disease has spread throughout the island. He alleges that the Greek Cypriot authorities concealed the disease for a year, focusing on the economic losses of halloumi producers. Mr. Chavush states that cases of animal smuggling from the free areas to occupied Famagusta were detected in December 2025, while emphasizing that the second dose of vaccination for cattle has been completed and 150,000 doses have been administered to sheep and goats. At the same time, he calls on Turkish Cypriots to be careful when buying meat from the free areas, as the virus can be transmitted through animal bones. He supports the need for a joint approach to the disease, expressing the view that the situation will improve with the rise in temperature in the coming months. Mr. Chavush's statements are accompanied by increased control measures at the checkpoints, aiming to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease in the occupied territories.