State of Emergency in Kosovo

The first case of foot and mouth disease was recorded on July 5 and 6, according to most reports, or June 28 according to federal agriculture minister Tihomir Vrebalov. In Kosovo itself reports of the disease spread as quickly as the epidemic. Official reports did not differentiate on a national basis: the Albanian language daily Bujku gave it the same coverage as Pristina’s state TV.

The gravity of the situation was clear from the first statement by the provincial operative staff for combating foot and mouth disease: all of Kosovo was declared an endangered area and the municipalities of Kacanik, Strpci, Vitina and Prizren (Gora later on) had a state of emergency imposed. Then the cattle markets were closed, butcher shops and all but three slaughter houses (PIK Progres in Prizren, PIK Mladost in Gnjilane and DD Kosovo Polje).

The Kosovo agriculture secretariat banned reporters from coming into the municipalities that were endangered. No one is allowed in there except expert teams and the local population was told not to leave the area if they didn’t have to.

Since most Kosovo inhabitants are cattle breeders a mutual interest exists in suppressing the disease and all reports, especially on state media, stress the good cooperation between cattle farmers an expert teams which had 130 veterinarians from day one. Vets also had all vacations suspended. An incident reported by the press was in regard to a mayor of one of the endangered municipalities Strbac: he didn’t think the disease or warnings that protective measures had to be imposed should stop him from going on vacation.

The provincial disease prevention staff is demanding the complete cooperation of municipality authorities and the population under threats of criminal accountability for spreading foot and mouth disease.

All the municipalities where special measures were imposed border on Macedonia and Albania the places the disease originated. The police is working with the vet teams, army border patrols have been ordered to help control a 16 kilometer belt along the border and the army has provided vehicles, equipment and manpower to destroy animal remains. By Thursday 250 heads of cattle were destroyed, cattle transports were banned and hunting season opened on animals like deer and stray cats and dogs which can transmit the disease. Plans have also been made to exterminate rats on Yugoslavia’s southern borders.

Disinfection measures were also introduced for everyone coming into the country from Macedonia and Albania as well as the confiscation of all animal products.

The impression that the state is doing everything by the book was reinforced by reports that competent international bodies were informed immediately of the outbreak of the disease and that Yves Leforban, secretary of the International Food Organization, came to Kosovo on July 14.

Two more protective belts were introduced in southern Serbia and Vojvodina. The efforts to destroy every suspicious head of cattle is easily explained by the fact that destroying them is cheaper than vaccination. That is, under international regulations the ban on meat and cattle exports is 22 days if radical measures are used and six months if vaccination is imposed.