Animal welfare and food safety concerns raised across Balkans

Multiple reports highlight systemic issues regarding animal welfare and food safety oversight in the Balkan region. In Serbia, the Council for the Fight against Corruption warned that food safety is often left to the conscience of producers due to overlapping inspection jurisdictions, a shortage of inspectors, and ineffective penalties.

In Montenegro, veterinary inspectors ordered the emergency closure of a pit at a farm in Spuž after citizens reported the improper disposal of pig carcasses. Officials stated the deaths were not due to infectious disease, but environmental activists warned that improper disposal poses significant infection risks.

In Croatia, animal rights groups have filed complaints with the State Inspectorate following several incidents. These include the reported improper transport of a sheep tied to a wooden pallet on a Jadrolinija ferry, and an incident where six pigs fell from a truck on the DC10 highway. Additionally, volunteers in Rijeka are working to socialize approximately seventy cats rescued from a single apartment.