[REVISION HISTORY]

Balkans livestock disease outbreaks: ASF and sheep pox

Updated 15 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-07 15:24 UTC → 2026-09-10 19:15 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The animal‑health emergency in the Balkans continues to evolve, with varying outcomes for African swine fever (ASF) and sheep pox. In Croatia, authorities report significant progress against ASF. Following a period with no new domestic pig cases recorded since August 4, restriction zones have been lifted in 45 settlements across Osijek‑Baranja and Virovitica‑Podravina counties. Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries David Vlajčić attributed this to biosecurity adherence. While the virus persists in wild boar—with 197 outbreaks recorded in wild animals as of August 26—domestic pig eutanization has decreased; over 5,000 have been culled this year, which is roughly one-third of the amount culled during the same period last year. Tatjana Karačić, Director of the Veterinary and Food Safety Administration, noted that 32 municipalities remain under surveillance, primarily where the two counties meet. Recent developments in Croatia include the lifting of protection and surveillance zones in Osijek-Baranja and Virovitica-Podravina following successful disinfection and inspections. However, surveillance remains in effect for Topolje and Duboševica in the Draž municipality due to outbreaks in neighboring Hungary. To mitigate economic impacts, the Croatian Government has adopted a state aid program through 2027, allocating 10 million euros (5 million euros annually for 2026–2028) to support the pig farming sector. This program includes compensation for losses, support for lost income, production restoration, and piglet production maintenance. In Serbia, livestock farmers are being advised to maintain high vigilance as the disease approaches the Rasina District. ~~Meanwhile,~~ To strengthen oversight, the ~~sheep pox outbreak in North Macedonia~~ Serbian government has escalated significantly. Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Borche Serafimovski reported approximately 10,000 sheep deaths across 64 confirmed hotspots, primarily concentrated in the Eastern region. Authorities identified unsterilized shearing equipment as launched a ~~major transmission risk.~~ public discussion on a draft law regarding official controls, modeled after EU Regulation 2017/625. This proposed system introduces risk-based inspections and penalties for non-compliance to align with European standards.

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