MinTsiaras requests EU financial support for farmers whose animals were affected by the plague

Minister for Rural Development and Food Kostas Tsiaras in a letter to European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski and European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides has called for measures to compensate the farmers affected by sheep and goat plague and compensate for the income they will lose. Tsiaras shared his letter with all 26 EU counterparts.

According to a relevant announcement, Tsiaras points out that Greece has not only imposed all the provisions of Regulation 687/2020, but has also adopted additional strict measures to limit and eradicate the disease. “It is imperative that we coordinate our efforts to protect and support livestock farming, ensuring its sustainability and resilience,” he said.

To eliminate the economic consequences of sheep and goat plague, Tsiaras suggests: “Given the serious economic impact of this epidemic on our livestock farmers, compensatory measures must be taken to support the affected. Livestock farmers are at the forefront of this battle, have already suffered significant losses due to other crises, such as the severe floods in Greece and are further burdened by the ongoing crises in all Member States. Therefore, it is imperative that financial assistance be provided not only to compensate farmers with the highest possible amount for the loss of each animal but also for compensating for their loss of income.”