Livestock farmers are marching on the Presidential Palace in Nicosia to demand an immediate halt to animal culls at foot-and-mouth disease-infected units, as frustration mounts over the authorities’ handling of the outbreak that has devastated the sector since February.
The protest, organised by the group Voice of the Livestock Farmers, was planned to begin with a gathering at around 10:00am near the GSP Stadium before proceeding towards the Presidential Palace. As of 10:50am, the march had not yet set off.
Demonstrators are demanding that culls at infected units stop immediately, and have expressed strong dissatisfaction with how the relevant authorities have managed the crisis so far.
The protest is the latest in a series of demonstrations since the outbreak was first detected in February. The disease has since spread to around 120 livestock units across the island, with approximately 71,000 animals culled across multiple districts. Farmers have repeatedly questioned the logic of whole-herd culls, arguing that in some cases only a handful of animals in a unit had tested positive.
Under EU rules, however, if even one animal in a unit tests positive the entire herd must be slaughtered. Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou has said the policy is non-negotiable under EU law, warning that non-compliance could result in Cyprus losing access to the European single market.
Beyond the culls, farmers have also demanded faster compensation payments and raised allegations that infected livestock were transported to slaughterhouses with official approval — claims the authorities have not publicly addressed.
Police announced that significant forces would be deployed to maintain public order, manage traffic disruption caused by the march.
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