The Government won't leave farmers high and dry due to loss of their animals to the contagion of the foot-and-mouth disease, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) declared after a session of the crisis team at the Agriculture Ministry on Sunday. In this context, he added that compensation for them is being sought at both domestic and European levels. In the meantime, Agriculture Minister Richard Takac planned to travel to Brussels for talks on Monday (March 24). He already confirmed that aside from aid from the Czech Republic and Hungary, Slovakia will receive help in combatting the contagion of foot-and-mouth disease also from Austria, with about 70 Austrian experts and disinfection equipment being sent to Slovakia. Help has been offered also by the Netherlands. As Takac announced, a team of experts from the European Commission will come to Slovakia on Monday.
The Agriculture Minister added that compensation will be extended also to small-scale breeders. Fico invited representatives of the affected farms and food producers to the Government Office on Tuesday (March 25).
Foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed in cattle farms in three municipalities in the south of Slovakia - Medveďovo, Ňarada and Baka.
Source: TASR
