“The Cabinet gave the “green light” for an additional allocation of 4 million 850 thousand euros to compensate livestock farmers affected by foot-and-mouth disease, for the loss of their livestock, hay, and milk.

At this time, as Maria Panagiotou noted, the only outstanding payments concern 15 livestock farmers whose operations showed discrepancies in the number of animals. Each of these cases will be examined separately, based on the opinion of the Legal Service.

“Final checks are currently being conducted so that payments to the last 15 livestock farmers can proceed. I emphasize ‘the last 15 livestock farmers’ because I have seen various news reports and claims that we have not paid anything. That is not true.” ^{Maria Panagiotou, Minister of Agriculture}

Based on the decisions taken by the Cabinet to date, support for the livestock sector amounts to 39 million euros.

The Cabinet also approved the allocation of 1.5 million euros as additional financial support for goat and sheep farmers.

“We’re talking mainly about small-scale semi-professional farmers; these are usually small livestock operations, people who need special additional support, given the importance we place on halloumi.” ^{Maria Panagiotou, Minister of Agriculture}

Situation Stable

Nearly five months after the outbreak of the foot-and-mouth disease crisis in the disease-free zones, the epidemiological picture appears to be stabilizing.

According to data submitted to Parliament, from June 10 to the present, more than 250 farms have been tested, with negative results so far.

Cases were detected in a total of 121 facilities.

Watch the report by Rafaela Stavrinou