Livestock farmers decided on Saturday to give the government until next Tuesday to answer a set of questions over the compulsory culling of all animals in units where foot-and-mouth disease cases are detected, after failing to secure an exemption from European Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi and President Nikos Christodoulides.
The decision was taken at a closed meeting at midday on Saturday, March 14, according to representatives of the farming organisations.
At the same time, the chairman of parliament’s Agriculture Committee, Yiannakis Gavriel, said he would clear the agenda of the committee meeting on Tuesday, March 17, so that it would focus only on foot-and-mouth disease. He said the finance and agriculture ministers were among those called to attend and added that the answers would be given before the committee because farmers needed to know the full truth.
Farmers are also preparing mass court filings in an effort to secure orders suspending or stopping the culling at their units. The source text says many of them have already signed the relevant document circulated to them.
Shortly before the briefing by the farming organisations began, farmers blocked the road from Aradippou to Athienou in the Sopaz area in what the source text described as an explosive atmosphere. The road reopened about half an hour later.
Some farmers also voiced support for closing the Rizoelia roundabout and Larnaca airport, according to the source text.
Strong police forces gathered in the area but did not need to intervene.
Speaking at the scene, Cyprus Farmers Union secretary-general Panicos Hambas said: “Cyprus is going through one of its worst moments since 1974. It is a new haircut, but worse because it is a haircut of our souls too.”
Michalis Lytras, honorary president of the Pancyprian Farmers Union, said: “This is not the time for blame, it is the time to save the animals. If we lose the livestock population, we will also lose halloumi, which we fought for.” He added that farmers had received assurances they would be compensated.
Farmer Christos Karayiannis said: “They tell us they will bring us other animals, but if you destroy my mental state, if you destroy me as a person, what will become of us?”
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Farmers block roads in Oroklini to stop sheep and goat cull (photos & video)