Cypriot MEP calls for halt to funding of Turkish Cypriot farmers over foot and mouth

Cypriot member of the European Parliament Costas Mavrides, of Diko, on Thursday called for a halt to European Union funding of the Turkish Cypriot agricultural sector, alleging that Turkish Cypriot farmers and authorities are refusing to apply EU rules in light of an ongoing outbreak of foot and mouth disease on the island.

“As we speak, there is an ongoing livestock health crisis with foot and mouth disease in Cyprus, which has developed into a political crisis,” he said.

He then addressed European Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen directly, saying, “specifically, livestock farmers in the free areas are implementing your instructions and your protocols by killing thousands of animals, but in the occupied areas of Cyprus, the same measures are not being implemented”.

In light of this he asked, “with this situation, and with the disease continuing [to spread], will livestock farmers who follow your instructions be punished again and again while those in the occupied areas refuse to implement them?”, before adding, “is this fair treatment?”

“Secondly, will you take any measures, or will the funds continue to go to the occupied areas? Last question, how is food affected by the occupation, commissioner? You have a responsibility. Is this treatment fair? Yes or no?” he said.

It remains unclear whether the EU’s rules regarding the spread of foot and mouth disease are being followed by Turkish Cypriot farmers or by the Turkish Cypriot authorities. Those rules stipulate, among other things, that if the disease is detected on a farm, every animal on that farm must be culled.

The Cyprus Mail has made persistent and repeated attempts to contact Turkish Cypriot ‘agriculture minister’ Huseyin Cavus on this matter, and has received no response.

Last September, in line with the latest edition of its aid programme for the Turkish Cypriot community, the EU provided €2.7 million for animal health and food safety within the Turkish Cypriot community, and a further €2m to improve the capacity and efficiency of Turkish Cypriot agricultural cooperatives.

More than 100 farms in Cyprus have been infected by foot and mouth disease, with thousands of livestock animals having been killed in the opening months of the year, with many farmers blaming, at least in part, the Turkish Cypriot authorities for the disease’s spread.

An outbreak of the disease had been detected in the village of Ayios Sergios, between Famagusta and Trikomo, last December, with Cavus having said earlier in the year that he had been warning the Republic of Cyprus’ authorities about the disease since then.

“The response we received for a long time was ‘there are no cases in our country’,” he said.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman had in March called for the island’s two sides to cooperate and coordinate so as to combat the spread of the virus.

“It cannot be that there is one thing in the north and another in the south. There is a risk of the disease spreading on both sides. Therefore, it is necessary that we act in coordination,” he said.