The foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Hungary and Slovakia continues to spread, with new cases reported across the two countries and along their common border. In Hungary, a new outbreak was detected on a farm in Levél, leading to the culling of more than 2000 cows. A previous outbreak in Kisbajcs resulted in the slaughter of 1600 animals. In Slovakia, there are now four epicentres of the disease in the southern part of the country. Budapest and Bratislava have implemented several measures to curb the outbreak, including a three-kilometre radius protection zone around the centres of the epidemic and a 10-kilometre observation zone where livestock health is monitored. Moving animals have been banned and Hungary has also prohibited hunting in the affected areas. Slovakia has closed minor border crossing points and adopted disinfection procedures at larger ones. However, both governments have been criticised for culling healthy animals and moving carcasses around in open trucks. In Slovakia, locals organised protests asking authorities to allow the quarantine and testing of animals within the protection zone before killing them. The Slovak government has blamed the European Union for its extermination policy, saying that it is required by European law. However, the EU does not impose culling rules on national governments, and it mainly provides them with recommendations from an international veterinary body.
According to Euronews, the real reason for such harsh measures is avoiding export bans from third countries which could have devastating effects on the local agricultural sector. While both Hungary and Slovakia pay compensation to livestock owners, farmers say it is not enough to cover their financial losses and compensate for the emotional damage of seeing healthy animals brutally killed.
