The amendment, submitted on Wednesday, also provides for an extraordinary €3 million grant to the North Aegean Region, while assigning the Ministry of National Defence responsibility for directing and coordinating operational measures.

Under the amendment, the military will have the authority to issue instructions to the relevant services on the movement of animals, culling, burial, disinfection and the operation of protection and surveillance zones. An Armed Forces officer will also be appointed as chief operational coordinator in each affected regional unit.

The move comes as livestock farmers on the island protest against the mass culling of their animals. The North Aegean Region decided to ‘freeze’ the procedures following tensions during a special meeting of the Regional Council.

During the meeting, the deputy regional governor for the primary sector, Anastasia Antonelli, and the director of the Veterinary Service, Stratos Tsompanellis, submitted their resignations after facing serious questions and criticism over their handling of the crisis.

The Ministry of National Defence will no longer be limited to providing military veterinarians or other personnel. Its responsibilities will include:

  • issuing instructions on the transport of animals, carcasses and animal by-products
  • supervising the culling, burial and cremation of dead animals
  • establishing and supervising health control points
  • disinfecting vehicles, facilities and equipment
  • working with local authorities to define protection and surveillance zones

All public services involved, including veterinary services, port authorities and customs authorities, will be required to comply with the Ministry of National Defence’s operational instructions. Failure to do so will constitute a disciplinary offence.

The Ministry of Rural Development and Food and the relevant regional authority will also be required to give the Ministry of National Defence access to registers, lists and databases solely for the purpose of responding to the outbreak. The data must be deleted once the emergency regime ends.

The amendment also provides for a €3 million grant to the North Aegean Region, with the expenditure to be approved by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. The funding does not constitute direct compensation for livestock farmers.

The special regime will remain in force until the region has recorded no new cases for three months, with an absolute deadline of 31 December 2027.

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