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The island of Lesvos is grappling with a deepening foot-and-mouth disease emergency, with confirmed cases reaching 43 and new outbreaks appearing 50 kilometers from the original sites \u2013 a sign, officials say, of failing biosecurity measures.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The agriculture minister, Margaritis Schinas, condemned farmers holding blockades at the island\u2019s port and preventing veterinary access to their livestock as \u201cunacceptable and criminally liable,\u201d warning that government support payments are contingent on compliance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Greek government cannot fund illegal acts,\u201d he stated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the regional governor publicly sided with farmers opposing culling, declaring, \u201cWe are against the death penalty \u2013 for humans and animals alike.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Farmers are demanding mass vaccination, but health officials say a full epidemiological survey must come first.\u00a0
Roughly 10,000 animals have already been slaughtered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The government announced four compensation measures, including \u20ac70 per sheep or goat and \u20ac8 million already disbursed for lost milk production.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Officials invoked Britain\u2019s catastrophic 2001 outbreak \u2013 when over six million animals were destroyed \u2013 as a warning of what unchecked spread could bring.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n