Lesvos livestock crisis discussed by Governor Moutzouris and MEP Arvanitis

Konstantinos Moutzouris, the Governor of the North Aegean, met with MEP Kostas Arvanitis in Lesvos to discuss the economic and agricultural impact of African swine fever on the island.

During the meeting, Moutzouris detailed the crisis facing local livestock production and the resulting loss of income for producers. He emphasized the need for the European Union to recognize the specific scale of the problem and called for immediate interventions to support the primary sector and compensate affected farmers. The Governor stressed that Lesvos should not be treated merely as a statistic in epidemiological management.

Arvanitis, Vice-President of The Left group in the European Parliament and a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, referenced a parliamentary question he submitted to the European Commission on March 22, 2026. The inquiry highlights the vulnerability of Lesvos as an island and border region, noting that small and medium-sized livestock farmers face significant losses of livestock capital and threats to their economic survival.