The Slovakian government has declared a state of emergency following the outbreak of a fourth case of foot-and-mouth disease.
Prime Minister Robert Fico, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, warned that the virus posed a serious threat to the country.
“What we are fighting is a threat to the nation-state interests of Slovakia,” he said.
“This is a deadly serious matter.”
Agriculture Minister Richard Takáč added that the emergency declaration would allow authorities to implement protective measures more effectively.
“Our priority is to protect Slovak farmers and ensure food security,” he said.
The outbreak has raised concerns over potential shortages of meat and milk, with authorities having already ordered the preventive culling of animals in three villages where earlier cases were detected.
The new emergency measures now include a ban on the movement of cloven-hoofed animals to and from Slovakia, as well as restrictions on farm access for unauthorized personnel.
Damages could “rise astronomically.”
Fico said the financial impact of the outbreak remained uncertain but could be devastating. “It is not yet possible to estimate the full cost, but the damages could rise astronomically,” he warned.
He also pledged government compensation for affected farmers.
“For a herd of one thousand, we are talking about a loss of 7 to 10 million euros,” Fico said. “We want to compensate for all the damage that occurs.”
