Minister announces financial relief for Greek livestock farmers facing disease crisis

[Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters]

Greece will suspend tax and security obligations for livestock farmers who mislaid animals successful caller sheep pox outbreaks, Rural Development and Food Minister Costas Tsiaras told Parliament.

“We person already drafted a proviso for the suspension of tax and security obligations for livestock farmers whose animals person been killed and the transition of the proviso is imminent,” Tsiaras said, answering topical questions.

He said that under EU rules Greece indispensable travel mandatory steps to power zoonoses, including sheep pox and plague. On compensation, Tsiaras added that payments to farmers are higher than successful different EU countries: “No different state compensates if it is established that each biosecurity measures person not been taken,” helium said.

In summation to a 63 cardinal euros de minimis subsidy for carnal provender (valid until June 2025), different €20 cardinal has been approved for nonstop compensation. “The effort to rebuild the livestock — by uncovering the due fiscal tool — will beryllium made,” helium said, noting EU rules presently bounds further enactment while sheep pox remains active.

The Hellenic Livestock Association estimates damages of much than €350 cardinal implicit the past 14 months. More than 300,000 animals person died from sheep pox and a further 110,000 from different diseases including bluetongue and plague of small ruminants; total livestock numbers person fallen to an estimated six million. Outbreaks proceed successful Thrace, Thessaly, Achaia, Serres and Imathia.

“The full superior assemblage cannot beryllium astatine hazard for feta exports,” said Dimitris Moschos, president of the livestock association, arsenic farmers property for vaccination. The ministry has so acold declined wide vaccination implicit trade concerns, though the European Commission precocious urged Greece to tighten power measures and “seriously consider” universal vaccination.

Experts stress the illness poses nary hazard to humans and does not impact beverage oregon nutrient from infected animals.