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Croatia Battles African Swine Fever as Illegal Pig Smuggling Threatens Industry
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท Croatia /Disasters & Emergencies

Croatia Battles African Swine Fever as Illegal Pig Smuggling Threatens Industry

From Veฤernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Croatia faces a severe African swine fever outbreak, with 12 new cases reported recently and a total of 89 outbreaks.
  • A local veterinarian prevented the illegal transport of 300 pigs from a known infected area in Slavonia to Jalลพabet, near Varaลพdin.
  • The minister emphasized that illegal activities threaten the entire national pig farming industry and the economy, despite significant investments in biosecurity and aid.

Croatia is grappling with a critical African swine fever outbreak, with Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture David Vlajฤiฤ‡ reporting 12 new cases in a single day and a total of 89 outbreaks nationwide. The situation is dire, as a third of these outbreaks have occurred in the last few days alone.

His bravery, decisiveness, and responsibility averted a catastrophe.

โ€” David Vlajฤiฤ‡The Minister of Agriculture praised the local veterinarian who prevented the illegal unloading of 300 pigs.

In a dramatic intervention, a local veterinarian in Varaลพdin thwarted the unloading of 300 pigs that had been illegally transported from Slavonia, a known hotspot for the disease, to Jalลพabet. Minister Vlajฤiฤ‡ highlighted the severity of this incident, noting it involved three full trucks of pigs smuggled across half the country, narrowly avoiding a major farm housing three thousand pigs near Varaลพdin. He lauded the veterinarian's bravery and responsibility in preventing a potential catastrophe.

The entire national pig farming industry, and thus the economy of Croatia, is at risk.

โ€” David Vlajฤiฤ‡The minister described the severe threat posed by the African swine fever outbreak and illegal smuggling.

"The entire national pig farming industry, and thus the economy of Croatia, is at risk," Vlajฤiฤ‡ stated. He pointed out that despite substantial investments, including 5.8 million euros in aid and 3 million euros for biosecurity measures, the situation on the ground remains challenging. Vlajฤiฤ‡ stressed that neither police nor inspection services can monitor every road or farm, emphasizing the critical need for compliance with existing measures.

No police force can monitor every road and rural path if we behave like this.

โ€” David Vlajฤiฤ‡The minister highlighted the challenges of enforcement and the need for public compliance.

The minister announced a review of biosecurity measures on farms in several counties and a meeting with the Croatian Hunters' Association to increase wild boar culling. The mayor of Vukovar, Marijan Pavliฤek, expressed strong criticism, calling for serious action from all stakeholders in the pig farming sector, from owners to the Ministry of Agriculture.

The veterinary system is functioning. This disease is dangerous, and some countries have battled it for 30 years.

โ€” Danijel Maruลกiฤ‡The prefect of Brod-Posavina County stressed the seriousness of the disease and the need for a collective response.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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