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Parties Demand Immediate Measures After Varhelyi Meeting on Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Published March 13, 2026, 14:09
Parties Demand Immediate Measures After Varhelyi Meeting on Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Following a meeting with European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Oliver Varhelyi, leaders and representatives of parliamentary parties called for immediate measures to curb the spread of foot-and-mouth disease and address the economic consequences. The President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, stressed the need for the government to take responsibility and inform the public honestly, describing the situation as chaotic and emphasizing that there is no room for deviation from the protocols. AKEL MP Giannakis Gavriel accused the government of being slow to react and pointed out that if the meeting had taken place earlier, the results would have been different. He expressed confusion about how the EU manages the occupied territories and why it allows vaccinations there, while in free Cyprus, animals are being culled. The President of DIKO, Nikola Papadopoulos, emphasized that the EU insists on the implementation of European protocols and warned that failure to do so will lead to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease throughout Cyprus, with devastating consequences for livestock farming and the economy. He called on all parties to cooperate to address the crisis. The situation is considered very serious and requires immediate and coordinated action to protect livestock farming and the Cypriot economy. Political forces are urging the government to inform the public honestly and take the necessary measures to limit the spread of the disease.