State services headbutting over foot and mouth recovery

As Cyprus’ livestock sector is still reeling from the foot and mouth outbreak that saw over 30,000 animals culled, state services are at odds over a solution which is rapidly turning into a personal conflict.

Veterinary Services director Christodoulos Pipis and head of the Special Scientific Committee Stavros Malas, tasked to oversee the reconstruction of the sector with a ten-year horizon, are clashing over compensation worth millions of euros, legal shortcomings and reports that animals are being moved illegally.

While the government had left the window open for importing animals from abroad, Pipis on March 31 put a stop to that, citing legal issues, namely that the EU regulations only provided for monetary compensation which was to be paid within 90 days.

In a letter to Malas’ committee, the Veterinary Services said purchasing animals from abroad was a “timebomb” and would put EU funding at risk.

The services did, however, ask the European Commission if instead of compensation the farmers could be given animals of equal value. According to media reports, an answer has yet to be received. Meanwhile, a positive response was expected to infuriate farmers who want to be compensated in cash.

In any case, the Veterinary Services and the Agricultural Research Institute have agreed on the level of compensation, which will probably be lower than the farmers’ expectations.

Malas, on the other hand, said that before there was any more talk about compensation, it should be made clear that animals would not be moved from one farm to another, a practice currently illegal under the decrees issued in an effort to curb the spread of the disease.

However, market representatives are insisting the movement of animals was permitted after a risk assessment and blamed the government for the situation.

In the meantime, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou – who has come under fire for her handling of last year’s wildfires in mountainous Limassol, failing to effectively address the water shortage and not taking measures when the foot and mouth outbreak in the north had come to light – has now asked Malas to investigate complaints and Pipis to file a report.