The YPAAT services will proceed to reassess the sheep pox situation and implement restrictive measures, after the ten-day ban on the movement and slaughter of sheep and goats has passed, and areas that are free of the zoonotic disease will be excluded, he said on SKAI radio. the Minister of Rural Development and Food Kostas Tsiaras, in an interview with journalists Vassilis Chiotis and Notis Papadopoulos.

“It is of great importance, with the cooperation of all Regions, Interprofessional Organizations, ETHEAS and the breeders themselves, to observe the measures during these 10 days and to be able to slowly release the areas where no cases have been registered“, he said.

The decision on 10 day banwhich came about with the unanimous support of all participants in yesterday’s teleconference, Mr. Tsiaras said, will help limit the disease, which, as he explained, is much more contagious than the plague (it is also transmitted through birds), as the smallpox virus is DNA and is more resistant than the RNA plague virus, which with the application of EU rules was treated with complete success. And in the case of smallpox, he pointed out, we follow EU rules.

“The problem for our livestock“, he noted, “is that the animals are currently breeding, so there is calving and high lactation. There is a big issue for Greek breeders. With the amount of reparations for the plague, which also applies to smallpox, we have shown that we stand by them, on their side and do everything possible to support them and keep our livestock and the productive capacity of our country at the highest possible level». He even reminded that the FSA is taking measures to support meat exports in which Greece is expanding.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reiterated that the ten-day ban is not going to affect the market and reminded that this did not happen even with the long ban on the movement and slaughter of sheep and goats during the plague season.