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Parliamentary Battle over Foot-and-Mouth Disease: Heated Exchange between MPs and Veterinary Services Director

Published February 24, 2026, 14:12
Parliamentary Battle over Foot-and-Mouth Disease: Heated Exchange between MPs and Veterinary Services Director

The parliamentary Agriculture Committee meeting turned into a battleground, with intense confrontations between MPs and the Director of Veterinary Services, Christodoulos Pipis, regarding the handling of the foot-and-mouth disease crisis. MPs accused the Veterinary Services of negligence, while livestock farmers express their despair. The atmosphere was tense from the beginning, with sharp questions and mutual accusations. Mr. Pipis defended his actions, arguing that his service was informed late and blaming the producers for the lack of timely information. The discussion peaked with heated personal clashes, with Mr. Pipis telling an MP, "I speak Greek, not Turkish," and questioning his understanding of the explanations. Evidence was presented suggesting that the virus was active 15 days ago, raising questions about the speed of the services' response. The conflict continued with the committee chairman questioning the lack of coordination since December.