KDH and SaS Criticise Measures against Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Bratislava, April 3 (TASR) - The opposition Christian Democrat (KDH) and Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) parties on Thursday criticised the measures taken against foot-and-mouth disease, claiming that they are insufficient. KDH called on Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) to provide the media with details concerning all measures taken to prevent the spread of the disease between March 7-20. KDH MPs are demanding that the ministry should publish all measures implemented by the chief veterinary officer to restrict the movement of people from Hungarian farms to farms in Slovakia. Meanwhile, SaS criticised the fact that Slovakia isn't protecting its market from Hungarian meat. "Let the minister publicly acknowledge the failure not only of the chief veterinary officer, who was responsible for implementing such measures, but also of himself, as he is the one who appointed him to this post," said KDH MP Marian Caucik. SaS MP Alojz Hlina asked why Slovakia hasn't yet protected its market from Hungarian meat. "It's really incomprehensible to me that while everyone else is protecting their markets from both our meat and Hungary's, we still haven't taken any action. This measure should have been implemented long ago. Why hasn't it? I don't know whose interests are behind this," said Hlina. The State Veterinary and Food Administration published the first measures to prevent foot-and-mouth infection taken by regional authorities on March 7. However, they don't include a strict ban on foreign individuals entering Slovak farms. They only concern observance of hygiene measures and disinfection. lin/df