Nicosia: President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides will hold talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding the management of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, as existing protocols-including the culling of animals-continue to be implemented until new guidance emerges from consultations with the European Union.
According to Cyprus News Agency, this was stated on Sunday by Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis following a meeting, in Nicosia, held under President Christodoulides, with stakeholders affected by the outbreak. Letymbiotis said the meeting reviewed the situation in depth and resulted in decisions on specific measures in four directions, with implementation beginning immediately.
According to the Spokesman, the President will personally communicate with von der Leyen to discuss ways to address the situation that has arisen. 'What we must underline, note and reiterate is that the goal for all of us is to safeguard, while at the same time further strengthen, the primary sector of our country as well as its export capacity,' Letymbiotis said. He added that the government remains at the side of those affected, while a new meeting under the President of the Republic with the relevant stakeholders has been scheduled for later this week.
Responding to a question about why the Deputy Attorney General participated in the meeting, Letymbiotis said all measures under consideration must also be evaluated from a legal perspective, both in terms of national legislation and compliance with EU law. For this reason, the presence of the Law Office of the Republic and the Deputy Attorney General was considered necessary in order to provide 'a comprehensive view of the measures, the decisions and the direction in which we are moving.'
Asked whether the culling of animals continues, the Spokesman said the matter had been discussed, stressing the importance of the President's communication with the European Commission President in order to take into account the EU's perspective. 'You understand that this aspect, this parameter, is very important and must be taken very seriously into account, both as a member state and with regard to our country's export capacity,' he said. He added that for the time being there has been no change in the existing data and called for 'a little patience' until contacts and communications at political level are completed.
Asked whether Cyprus would seek an exemption from EU protocols regarding animal culling, Letymbiotis said no such request has been made, though approaches have been formulated that will be discussed by the President with the Commission President. He stressed that the implementation of measures and protocols must continue and be respected until any new procedures are agreed following the high-level communication.
Asked whether criminal responsibilities would be examined regarding the possible transmission of foot-and-mouth disease from the island's Turkish-occupied areas, Letymbiotis said the matter falls within the competence of the relevant authorities. 'This is something that falls under the responsibility of the competent authorities as to whether there are indications or information that are being investigated,' he said, adding that the issue is already under examination. He also said additional measures to prevent similar incidents in the future are being considered based on available information and indications.
Regarding possible coordination with the Turkish-occupied areas in cooperation with the European Commission, Letymbiotis noted that the Commission had made efforts in recent months. Nearly two months after the first case appeared in the occupied areas, he said the main challenge is how to manage the situation effectively without negative consequences for the primary sector and especially for the country's export capacity, in close cooperation with the European Union.