Kostas Tsiaras

Minister of Rural Development and Food Kostas Tsiaras announced during the discussion of the 2025 state budget on Friday that there will be a bill providing for the regulation of nonperforming agricultural loans.

Compensation payments to livestock farmers for animals killed due to panic fever and pox have begun. As of today, Tuesday 3 December, surveillance zones have also been lifted due to cases of pain.

By unanimous decision of the Ethics Committee of the New Democracy party, former party president and former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has been removed from the party’s Parliamentary Group.

As Greece approaches a peak export season for lambs to Italy, Germany and Spain, a ban on slaughtering small livestock due to an outbreak of sheep and goat pox has sparked concerns among farmers.

In an interview with Action 24, Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Kostas Tsiaras stated that the 10-day ban on the movement of sheep and goats is aimed at preventing further spread of the disease. He clarified that there is no public health risk, as the disease only affects sheep, and emphasized that the main goal is to preserve the country’s livestock.

In response to new reported cases of the contagious sheep pox disease this week, authorities have imposed a 10-day nationwide ban on livestock movement.

A fresh outbreak with two confirmed cases has been reported at a livestock unit in Magnesia in Central Greece and in Stymfalia, in Corinthia regional unit.

The Ministry of Rural Development has launched a nationwide program worth €65 million to improve rural roads, enhancing transportation in agricultural areas.

Agriculture and Food Minister Kostas Tsiaras highlighted the intensification of market controls as a key priority during his visit to the Hellenic Food Authority (EFET) on Friday.

"I believe EFET is a particularly critical organization and for this reason, its operations must be supported," Tsiaras stated.

Minister of Rural Development and Food Kostas Tsiaras emphasized the need to reassess EU funding allocated for tackling zoonotic diseases during the Council of Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries in Brussels on Monday.

Tsiaras proposed submitting a request for funding from the agricultural reserve to secure additional resources for supporting livestock farmers.