Newsroom
Authorities completed the transport of dead cattle to a burial site designated by Veterinary Services in the Palaiometocho area, despite protests from livestock farmers on Monday afternoon.
According to police sources, around 50 farmers temporarily blocked roads leading toward the buffer zone in an effort to stop trucks carrying the animal carcasses to the disposal site.
Farmers said they fear the transportation process could spread foot-and-mouth disease because several livestock farms are located along the route used by the vehicles.
Police said the protest ended peacefully, with no incidents or complaints reported.
Stella Petrou, spokesperson for the livestock farmers’ association “The Voice of Livestock Farmers,” criticized the handling of the situation, claiming the animals were being buried without proper procedures in place. She argued that transporting dead animals through farming areas puts nearby livestock operations at risk.
Petrou also confirmed that representatives of the association met with Veterinary Services officials on Monday to discuss the issue.
The group is expected to issue a public statement after a meeting scheduled for today at the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment with Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou.
