The government is one step away from imposing a lockdown on livestock farming, with Minister of Rural Development Kostas Tsiaras describing the situation with sheep and goat pox as critical during parliamentary oversight. Referring to the reasons behind the spread of sheep pox, he accused livestock farmers of “irresponsibility.” “Some are dumping dead animals somewhere,” he stated characteristically. According to him, “farmers reported cases and when veterinarians arrived, they found that the animals were already dead – this is criminal,” emphasizing that this constitutes the main reason for the spread.
Kostas Tsiaras: I appeal to all livestock farmers
At the same time, referring to the possibility of animal vaccination, he noted that competent scientists are currently negative about universal vaccination. “I make an appeal – if we don’t do the best possible, from first to last, from the livestock farmer who has the animals to the veterinarian who has the responsibility, from the person who transports the milk to the one who transports the animal feed – there will be a problem, because it appears there is no effective treatment for pox in another way. I hope there will be scientific evidence for a vaccine and I am here to discuss it,” he emphasized meaningfully.
Zoe Konstantopoulou: We have a contradiction
For her part, the president of Plefsi Eleftherias, developing her current question, said that “we have a contradiction between farmers and livestock owners who are struggling and those criminals who ate with golden spoons.” “On one hand, Semerzidou, a glamorous figure with a Ferrari, had nothing to do with livestock farming… she collected and squandered, thanks to ND and Mitsotakis, enormous amounts in health at the expense of the fooled… some ate with golden spoons… they weren’t farmers, they were criminals – members of ND. On the other hand, real farmers have been protesting for over a year,” Zoe Konstantopoulou stated characteristically.
