Newsroom
Livestock farmers in Cyprus are preparing for a new protest on Friday at 11 a.m., while saying they will remain at the Rizoelia Roundabout indefinitely as tensions grow over police actions linked to a previous demonstration.
Stella Petrou, spokesperson for the “Voice of Livestock Farmers” association, told CNA the group plans to hold a peaceful protest and is still awaiting police approval. She said the farmers intend to close one lane and remain at the site overnight, with no clear end date for their stay.
“We will remain at the scene indefinitely,” she said, adding that turnout is expected to be similar to the previous protest, possibly even slightly higher.
Her comments come as police have begun issuing fines for alleged illegal parking during a protest held on April 23, a move Petrou described as “targeting.”
She said participants were fined despite being instructed by police to park in the designated areas during the demonstration. She also confirmed she has been summoned to testify regarding road closures during that protest.
“I want someone responsible from the police to tell us where else in Cyprus this has happened, to go after protesters like this,” she said.
Petrou also said the association was not invited to a scheduled meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday morning regarding foot-and-mouth disease and compensation measures.
“They don’t count us in. And the more they don’t count us in, the more we fight,” she said.
She added that the group has received no response from the agriculture minister or other officials, and has no coordination with other farming organizations, including Panagrotikos and EKA.
“We are angry because most of the people at the table are not livestock farmers, yet they are discussing livestock farming,” she said.
“We want people to stand with us, because we are fighting for everyone,” she added.
