Livestock farmers protest mass culling over foot-and-mouth disease

On Thursday, livestock farmers blocked the Rizoelia roundabout in Cyprus to protest against the government's order for mass animal culling to contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. The protest coincided with the arrival of EU leaders for a summit in Ayia Napa. Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou held consultations with a three-member farmers' delegation, while Justice Minister Costas Fytiris requested that one lane remain open for safety reasons. Talks were suspended following reports of trapped motorists and escalating road closures, including brief blockages of Larnaca port. Farmers have set deadlines for government action, threatening to escalate their protests to include potential blockades of Larnaca airport. While some protesters briefly reopened a lane as a gesture of goodwill, most remained on-site with tents, refusing to leave until their demands regarding the culling and compensation schemes are met. Police deployed over 100 officers to manage traffic diversions for commuters and arriving EU officials.