Cyprus government seeks cooperation on foot-and-mouth disease containment

Government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis confirmed on Tuesday that the Republic of Cyprus is in contact with the European Commission and Turkish Cypriot authorities to address the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. While the government advocates for the implementation of strict EU veterinary protocols, reports indicate a disagreement regarding the culling of infected livestock. Leonidas Phylactou, head of the bi-communal Technical Committee on Health, stated that Turkish Cypriot representatives have expressed hesitation regarding these culling measures and are currently reviewing their strategy. Letymbiotis emphasized that adherence to EU standards is an obligation tied to financial support rather than a political confidence-building measure. Additionally, officials are preparing for an informal EU Council meeting scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Concerns have been raised by farmers who threatened to block the event to protest the handling of the FMD crisis, though the government has urged collective responsibility while upholding the right to protest.