Poland has introduced strict veterinary checks on its border with Slovakia as it braces for the potential spread of foot-and-mouth disease from its southern neighbor, lawmakers were told on Wednesday.
Agriculture minister Czesław Siekierski said the highly infectious disease, which can devastate cattle and pig farms, had not reached Poland yet, but the authorities were on alert.
He told parliament: “It's not my goal to create excessive concern. However, the scale of the threat is really big.”
Siekierski said Polish veterinary services were on duty 24 hours a day at ten border crossings, using a system that monitors the movement of animals, and disinfection gates and mats had been set up.
He added: “We've introduced regulations on sealing the border even before the introduction of executive decisions by the European Commission.”
Polish farms have around 6.3 million cattle and over 8.5 million pigs, according to Siekierski. He noted that the last case of foot-and-mouth in Poland occurred in 1971.
The Slovak government has declared a state of emergency as it wrestles to contain the spread of the disease. Farms in Hungary have also been hit.
He told parliament: “It's not my goal to create excessive concern. However, the scale of the threat is really big.”
Siekierski said Polish veterinary services were on duty 24 hours a day at ten border crossings, using a system that monitors the movement of animals, and disinfection gates and mats had been set up.
He added: “We've introduced regulations on sealing the border even before the introduction of executive decisions by the European Commission.”
Polish farms have around 6.3 million cattle and over 8.5 million pigs, according to Siekierski. He noted that the last case of foot-and-mouth in Poland occurred in 1971.
The Slovak government has declared a state of emergency as it wrestles to contain the spread of the disease. Farms in Hungary have also been hit.
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