European Commission may compensate Hungarian farmers after deadly disease

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) is turning to the European Commission in the hope that the EU will compensate Hungarian farmers affected by foot-and-mouth disease.

More and more farmers whose livestock were culled in line with epidemiological rules have been forced to lay off many workers, DK MEP Klára Dobrev told an online press briefing streamed on Facebook on Friday, referring to one farm in particular where 1,400 heads of cattle were culled a half of the workers, 46 people, were let go.

DK also wants the government to pay the wages of laid-off workers from the state wage guarantee fund until the animal health epidemic ends, she said, adding that this may greatly boost the chances of receiving compensation.

“We don’t need the money to feather the pockets of a few Fidesz farmers; there’s a real problem and we must help,” she said.

Dobrev said eventually it would be necessary to discover those responsible for the failure to contain the epidemic, “but now help is what is needed”.

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• Zoos closed, hunting ban introduced, border closed: foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Hungary – read more HERE