Cypriot livestock farmers protest foot-and-mouth disease culling policies

Cypriot livestock farmers are planning further actions following the rejection of their request for a meeting with the President of the Republic regarding mass culling measures for foot-and-mouth disease. Stella Petrou, representing the farmers, stated that the presidential office has effectively ruled out any such meeting. The farmers are calling for an immediate suspension of mass culling and are awaiting a response to an alternative proposal they requested be forwarded to the European Commission. Conversely, Nicos Papakyriakou, President of the Pancyprian Cattle Farmers Organization (POA), noted that alternative methods were evaluated following the initial outbreak in February, but the European Commission rejected them. Papakyriakou emphasized that the POA seeks to avoid conflict with the EU to protect product exports. Additionally, the POA is calling on the European Commission to audit the management of 12 million euros in funding provided to Turkish Cypriot farmers for disease control, citing concerns over the application of EU protocols. The farmers remain divided on the strategy, with the POA prioritizing formal EU relations while other groups seek to escalate protests.