Devastating impact of smallpox in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace exceeds half a billion euros
The economic damage caused by the smallpox outbreak in the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (EMT) region is estimated to exceed half a billion euros, according to Nikos Dimopoulos, president of the Kavala Livestock Association and member of the EMT Coordinating Committee for Agricultural Struggles.
“This is a massive disaster for our region, yet we are being presented with already planned compensations as a so-called success,” Dimopoulos stated in an interview with ERT. He emphasized that the shortage of animal feed due to the outbreak did not only affect Evros but the entire region.
Farmers & Ranchers Criticize Regional Governor
The Coordinating Committee also expressed strong dissatisfaction with Regional Governor Christodoulos Topsidis for excluding representatives of farmers and livestock breeders from a meeting in Alexandroupoli, which focused on the concerns of Evros farmers.
In a strongly worded letter, the committee criticized Topsidis, highlighting that:
He had previously claimed to support them but later ignored their request for a meeting with Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras in Komotini, where direct solutions could be discussed.
Despite warnings from Evros representatives that excluding EMTH farmers would have political consequences, Topsidis insisted on personally taking responsibility for the decision.
Farmers and ranchers are demanding immediate action from the central government, stressing that the entire region has suffered enormous economic damage and needs direct intervention.
