Ruptly
"Livestock farmers blocked roads across parts of Cyprus on Thursday as European Union leaders arrived on the island for a scheduled high-level meeting focused on regional cooperation, agricultural policy and wider economic coordination within the bloc. Footage shows police deployed along major routes as farmers used vehicles to obstruct traffic near the Rizoelia roundabout in Larnaca. Protesters displayed banners accusing authorities of 'treason' and warning that 'the agricultural world of Cyprus is dead,' while children held signs reading 'You are killing the future of stock breeding.' Demonstrators also called for an immediate halt to what they describe as mass culling measures affecting the livestock sector. In a statement during the protest, one farmer said the EU's policies threaten the survival of the industry in Cyprus. "We want to tell Europe that our farmers are limited, we are not a country with thousands of cattle farmers. If all animals are killed, then unfortunately the economy and exports of Cyprus will collapse," the protester said. Another speaker warned that the sector could disappear entirely under current pressures, urging EU leaders to reconsider agricultural protocols. The summit, taking place later in Ayia Napa, brings together EU heads of state and government amid ongoing debates over agricultural regulations and animal health policies, which have sparked growing tensions in several member states, including Cyprus."
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