Sheep pox destroyed 7,000–10,000 sheep; breeders demand vaccine as FVA waits for supplies from Turkey

Between 7,000 and 10,000 sheep have been lost in a fast-moving outbreak of sheep pox, and shepherds are demanding that authorities secure an appropriate vaccine as soon as possible. Farmers gathered today in front of the Government in Skopje to press for faster action after more than a month of negotiations, saying whole flocks are being culled every day.

Farmers warn of social and economic collapse for affected families

"So far we have over 50 hotspots, we have around 40–50 destroyed flocks and about 40 families were left without bread, they are left on the street, they have nothing to do. Behind me are a large number of those whose flocks were destroyed and we demand that these people be compensated as soon as possible," said Naser Dzemaili, president of the Union of Sheep Breeders.

Members of the union described the emotional and material toll on rural households. "To wake up in the morning and see your whole flock sick, you live from those animals and you do not know what to do — it is pitiful. We live from those sheep. For example, me, from my mother, from my father, until now we have been with these sheep. And now the solution is to have them killed?! For us that is not a solution. It is a catastrophe for us. They offer us the solution that the sheep will be slaughtered. We live from those sheep as a whole family. What will we do? And to compensate us with a shameful 100 denars per kilo," said Elmis Zekir, a member of the union's management board.

Union leaders also questioned the official reluctance to vaccinate, which they say is justified only by concerns about possible export restrictions from the EU. "The only argument for not vaccinating while fighting to prevent the disease is that perhaps the EU will give us an export ban. However, there are no official data even here on whether they will give it, how much restriction they will impose, because in reality neither the meat from the disease is harmful to people, nor the meat after vaccination," said Milena Velichkovikj, a member of the union's management board.

Officials say they are monitoring the situation daily and are seeking expert support from the EU. The Food and Veterinary Agency (FVA) says it has asked the EU and Turkey for vaccine donations. "We already sent a letter last week, in cooperation with the Turkish embassy, that one of the vaccines that is safe and suitable — we expect 500,000 vaccines to arrive," said Oliver Milanov, director of the Food and Veterinary Agency (FVA).

The Union warned that the dire situation has pushed some breeders to vaccinate their own flocks with unverified products, creating additional risks. The Ministry of Agriculture cautioned farmers not to buy or administer vaccines without FVA approval and threatened sanctions. "In such a case, the owner will not have the right to compensation for sick animals, nor to compensation for animals seized for disease control and eradication. Vaccination may be performed only by authorized veterinary services, according to an official plan and under the direct supervision of the FVA," the ministry said.

Livestock numbers in the country have been falling for decades. According to the State Statistical Office, some 470,000 sheep were raised in the country last year, though breeders say the actual number is considerably lower.

Photo: press material from the event