Greece is calling for the strict continuation of all veterinary measures on the island of Lesbos until foot-and-mouth disease is fully eradicated, Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food Athanasios Kavadas said.
In a letter sent Friday, September 4, to North Aegean Regional Governor Constantinos Moutzouris, Kavadas stressed that there must be no deviation from the measures required to contain the outbreak.
His intervention follows legislation that gives the Ministry of National Defense operational coordination of the public services and agencies involved in the response on Lesbos. The Ministry of Rural Development and Food, however, retains strategic, scientific and veterinary responsibility for managing the animal disease outbreak.
Veterinary protocols remain unchanged
Kavadas said the new operational structure does not alter the health protocols or veterinary measures already in place.
Instead, he said, its purpose is to ensure that those measures are implemented more quickly and effectively through unified coordination of all forces operating on the island.
According to the latest figures, livestock tracing on Lesbos is about 80% complete. The next phase will focus on completing the epidemiological investigation across all livestock holdings, as well as conducting the necessary follow-up inspections.
The same legislation also provides €3 million in funding to the North Aegean Region to cover expenses related to the response to the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
Government calls for cooperation
Kavadas called on all involved authorities and organizations, including the North Aegean Region, to continue working together in the field and fully implement the required measures until the disease has been eradicated.
“The fight against foot-and-mouth disease allows neither complacency nor concessions in applying scientifically prescribed measures,” Kavadas said.
“We have already covered a large part of the road, with tracing reaching approximately 80%, and now we must all contribute to completing the effort,” he said.
The deputy minister also emphasized that the Defense Ministry’s assumption of operational coordination is intended to strengthen the response and improve coordination on the ground, without changing the scientific strategy or veterinary protocols.
“The state has stood and will continue to stand alongside Lesbos, its livestock farmers and the island’s businesses,” Kavadas said.
“At the same time, however, everyone’s cooperation is required. There is no room for unilateral decisions or deviations from the prescribed measures when the eradication of an extremely contagious disease and the protection of the country’s entire livestock population are at stake,” he said.
“Our goal is one: to definitively close this chapter for Lesbos, protect livestock farming and allow the island’s primary sector to safely return to normal,” Kavadas said.
