Dispute over foot-and-mouth disease compensation for livestock farmers

On August 21, 2026, a public disagreement emerged regarding compensation for livestock farmers affected by a recent foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Cyprus. Neofytos Neofytou, president of the 'Voice of Livestock Farmers', reported that four farmers have received no compensation, while three others have only been paid 10-15% of their claims. Neofytou also noted delays in reactivating farm units and expressed concerns over Veterinary Services' requirements for unvaccinated test animals to be placed in facilities starting September 1.

In response, the Director of Veterinary Services, Christodoulos Pipis, stated that all eligible farmers have already been compensated. Pipis clarified that the four individuals in question were officially notified that they would not receive payments due to legal discrepancies. According to the Veterinary Services, investigations revealed inconsistencies between the number of animals registered by the farmers and the actual population found during site inspections, preventing legitimate compensation under the legal framework advised by the Law Office. Efforts to resolve these issues, including a request for a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, are currently pending.