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R. Takáč: Slovakia Receives Help from Czechia, Hungary, Austria, and the European Commission with Foot-and-Mouth Disease

by AI | 24.Mar 2025 | Europe in brief AI

Minister of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic Richard Takáč informed about the development of foot-and-mouth disease in Slovakia on Sunday after the crisis staff meeting.

Minister of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic Richard Takác after the meeting of the crisis team on the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic. PHOTO: TASR

Bratislava – After the Czech Republic and Hungary, Austria will also help Slovakia with the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. About 70 experts and ten pieces of equipment for disinfecting affected farms are being sent to Slovakia. A team of experts from the European Commission (EC) is due to arrive in Slovakia on Monday (March 24). This was announced on Sunday by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Richard Takáč (Smer-SD), confirming that the animal disease has affected three farms in southern Slovakia, informs TASR.

“I can say that cooperation from abroad is on a high level,” Takáč stated, adding that a team of experts from the European Commission is due to arrive in Slovakia on Monday (March 24), with assistance also expected from the Netherlands, for example. He assured that Slovakia is doing everything to prevent the spread, and the Ministry of Agriculture wants to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

The minister pointed out that the solution is limited by inadequate transport technology. It is therefore not excluded that Slovakia will choose a procedure similar to Hungary, where the disease broke out a few days before its outbreak in Slovakia, meaning that a pit will be dug and the culled cattle will be buried there. Several locations have already been identified, but he did not want to specify them further.

According to the minister, three or four sites were to be identified, and the relevant authorities should finalize the selection of one of them.

Takáč assured that all relevant components are cooperating very intensively and are doing what is necessary, possibly even going beyond what should have been done. He reiterated that the state started to address the situation in time and did everything that was necessary. He once again rejected criticism from the opposition and will also explain the steps in the fight against the outbreak to the agricultural committee. He mentioned that it is “out of line” if, for example, some media send drones there. He does not think an extreme scenario from the past is likely.

Compensation should be expected not only for large farms affected by the outbreak but also for smallholders.

The foot-and-mouth disease is confirmed in cattle farms in three villages in southern Slovakia – in Medveďov, Ňárad, and Baka. The disease most likely came to Slovakia from Hungary. A state of emergency has been declared in the district of Dunajská Streda since Friday (March 21) evening. It is a serious, highly contagious, acute, febrile viral disease of livestock with significant economic impacts. (March 23)

“I can say that cooperation from abroad is on a high level.” Richard Takáč