Emergency Meeting on Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Cyprus

An emergency meeting was held at the Coordination Center for Research and Rescue (CCDR) in Larnaca, chaired by the Minister of Justice, Kostas Fytiris, to coordinate efforts to combat foot-and-mouth disease. The meeting included representatives from various Ministries (Defense, Agriculture) and services (Police, Fire Department, Veterinary Services). The Government prioritizes controlling the foot-and-mouth disease and supporting those affected, while also examining the responsibilities of those involved. The Director of Veterinary Services, Christodoulos Pipis, insists that livestock farmers are responsible for the spread of the disease. The meeting focused on taking immediate measures to control the spread of the disease, providing support to affected farmers, and investigating the causes that led to the outbreak. Ways to strengthen controls and surveillance were also examined. The Government's goal is to protect livestock and public health, as well as to restore the damage caused by the outbreak of the disease. Cooperation between the involved Ministries and services is considered crucial for effectively addressing the crisis.