Livestock farmers are holding a new protest event around 11 am today on the issue of foot-and-mouth disease, where they will head after a rally in front of the GSP, while the President of the Republic announced on Thursday evening a series of meetings on the issue next Tuesday.
"We expect that the President will accept that we enter the Presidential Palace to discuss with him," Stella Petrou, spokesperson for the "Voice of Livestock Breeders," told CNA yesterday. The livestock breeders' demands are to stop the killing of animals, to stop sampling, and to properly compensate the affected livestock breeders, she said.
President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides, in statements made last night, referred to the need for collective action to address foot-and-mouth disease, emphasizing that "without cooperation, this challenge will not be met." He also announced a series of meetings with scientific and agricultural bodies next Tuesday.
In statements to journalists, arriving at the European Cultural Heritage Awards ceremony, the President said that on Thursday afternoon a meeting was held with his colleagues, also in the presence of Stavros Malas.
He said that a meeting has been arranged for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning with the epidemiological team that is assisting in efforts to address the situation, while at 11:00 a.m. he will meet with agricultural organizations. He also added that the Government is also in contact with the Livestock Farmers' Union.
Meanwhile, the Police also announced yesterday that they will implement security measures and traffic arrangements for the smooth conduct of the livestock farmers' mobilization in Nicosia on Friday.
Source: KYPE
