A major stir has broken out among cattle farmers across Cyprus, who are eagerly awaiting tomorrow’s crucial meeting between agricultural organisations and the President of the Republic, which will clarify the situation regarding the culling of animals. The farmers, who are demanding an end to the culling of asymptomatic animals and a nationwide vaccination campaign, are ready for dynamic protests if they receive a negative response.
Although they had initially planned a rally tomorrow at 3 pm in the SOPAZ area in Aradippou to be informed by the agricultural organisations about the results of the meeting with President Christodoulides, the meeting has now been rescheduled to Saturday at 9:30 am. This change was due to the rescheduling of the meeting at the Presidential Palace, which was originally planned for Friday morning.
“Depending on the President’s response, we will decide on our next steps. If he tells us that the culling of animals will stop and we will proceed with vaccination, we will continue our work. However, if he says the opposite, how will we control the people who will be told that all their animals will be killed? The President will bear the responsibility for how the public reacts,” said cattle farmer Pantelis Panteli in an interview with Phileleftheros. He pointed out the widespread anger among farmers, stating: “This is what the government does not understand, how much anger there is. Such anger cannot be controlled, and they need to get the message.”
He further argued that culling instructions should not be followed in the event of a definitive negative response from the EU. “Just as we do not follow regulations on pollutants, fuel oil, and the waste we have been burying for years, we should do the same now. And for those, there is no issue of life or death, and we proceed as normal, paying the fines.”
Meanwhile, farmers today sent letters requesting support for slaughterhouses, dairy farms, and other professionals in the food chain. “We want tangible support from those affected in the food chain because, at the end of the day, they will be impacted either directly or indirectly,” noted Mr. Panteli.
It is recalled that on Wednesday morning, farmers from all over Cyprus gathered at the SOPAZ area in Aradippou to prevent the culling of 600 lambs from a local livestock trader. The farmers blocked a road for 10 minutes and warned that if culling continues, they will close Larnaca airport, ports, and key roads.
