Cypriot farmers protest against foot-and-mouth disease containment measures

Following a protest on April 19 at the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers in Cyprus are planning further actions for April 23, potentially including blockades at airports, ports, and the Rizoelia roundabout. The proposed actions coincide with an informal meeting of European leaders in Cyprus, which organizers hope will draw international attention to their grievances. Farmers are demanding an immediate end to the mandatory culling of infected livestock and call for expedited compensation payments, alleging that previous distributions were selective. Representative Stella Petrou claimed that livestock in the Turkish-occupied north are being vaccinated rather than culled, an assertion that complicates the farmers' position. In response, the Veterinary Services stated that they are following mandatory EU Regulation 2020/687, which requires the immediate culling of all livestock in affected facilities to prevent the spread of category A diseases. The authorities emphasized that they cannot deviate from these regulations and noted that the farmers' memorandum lacked specific identifying information for the signatories.