Seven emergency measures to combat the sheep and goat pox outbreak are being implemented following a decision by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras. The situation is deemed extremely critical and requires comprehensive mobilization of all available forces, aimed at immediate containment and complete eradication of the disease.
The measures decided upon and immediately put into effect are as follows:
- Following communication between the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras, and the relevant Regional Governors, the following Regions are declared in a State of Special Civil Protection Mobilization:
– Western Greece (regional unit: Aetolia-Acarnania)
– Central Greece (regional unit: Phocis)
– Thessaly (regional units: Magnesia, Larissa, Trikala)
– Western Macedonia (regional unit: Florina)
– Central Macedonia (regional units: Serres, Chalkidiki)
– Eastern Macedonia-Thrace (regional units: Xanthi, Northern Evros, Rhodope and Samothrace).
- Measures are being intensified to implement the universal ban on sheep and goat movements within protection and surveillance zones. The Greek Police will assist in implementing this measure by checking vehicles illegally transporting animals within and at the borders of these zones. Simultaneously, Civil Protection and the Greek Police, using drones, will assist in monitoring areas to combat illegal grazing. For this purpose, Kostas Tsiaras has already contacted the Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidis, and the Minister of Civil Protection, Giannis Kefalogiannis.
- The Minister of Rural Development and Food has requested the mobilization of all veterinarians serving in supervised MARD agencies to strengthen operational forces in the field.
- Even in cases of legal appeals by farm owners where disease cases are detected, the competent services will immediately proceed with all prescribed measures, such as animal culling, according to Article 7 of Regulation (EU) 625/2017, to ensure disease containment.
- The Regions will undertake systematic disinfection of rural roads in protection zones, with emphasis on areas surrounding outbreak sites.
- The imposition of prescribed sanctions for all violations proceeds immediately, and framework tightening is being considered.
- A Special Outbreak Management Committee is immediately established, with participation from MARD Veterinary Service staff, ETHEAS representatives, Inter-professional Organization representatives (Meat and Feta), SEV-GAP, SEK, ELGO Dimitra, and the Veterinary Department of the University of Thessaly.
Finally, it is noted that the Ministry of Rural Development and Food remains in constant operational readiness and calls on all involved agencies for full compliance and cooperation in effectively combating the outbreak.
