Cyprus farmers protest livestock culling due to foot-and-mouth disease

As of March 7, 2026, over 7,000 animals have been culled in Cyprus to contain a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, with nine new cases confirmed in Livadia and Dromolaxia. Agricultural organizations are scheduled to meet with President Nikos Christodoulides on Sunday to demand an immediate end to the mass culling of healthy animals and a shift toward universal vaccination. Farmers, who have threatened protests, claimed that animals were being killed improperly, while the Veterinary Services defended the procedures as strictly compliant with EU Regulation 2020/687. Dimitris Tsaltas, head of the Agricultural Sciences department at TEPAK, publicly supported the veterinary personnel, noting the intense psychological pressure and physical exhaustion they face. The Ministry of Agriculture has requested a review of culling policies from the European Commission, though no official change has been granted yet. Meanwhile, some culling operations were temporarily suspended following reports of obstructions by livestock owners and necessary field adjustments.