Lesvos: Army takes over foot-and-mouth response

The Ministry of National Defense took operational control of the response to foot-and-mouth disease in Lesbos, according to NewsIt coverage on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The change means that coordination of measures now passes to the military, while the Regional Authority retains an advisory role in management. The veterinary services of the island, which until now operated under civilian oversight, pass under military operational control, with the aim, according to the reporting, of faster implementation of disease containment measures. This transition concerns the decision-making and implementation process in the field, as NewsIt describes the military as now coordinating operational measures, with the Regional Authority retaining an advisory and consultative role.

The government approved emergency funding of 3 million euros to address the epidemic, as NewsIt reports, without clarifying how this amount will be distributed. Meanwhile, over 80,000 sheep and goats have already been culled under the eradication measures, a figure showing the extent of livestock loss on the island since the crisis began. NewsIt does not clarify when exactly the recording of these cullings began or how many animals are estimated to remain at risk. NewsIt also does not specify whether the 3 million euros is intended for compensating livestock farmers, biosecurity measures, or both, a detail that remains unclear according to the reporting.

The assignment of operational coordination to the military suggests, according to the reporting, that existing structures were no longer adequate to manage the scale of the crisis on their own, particularly regarding personnel deployment, materials, and biosecurity resources. For Lesbos livestock farmers, this change may mean faster implementation of checks, but also a stricter framework for movements around affected units. The maintenance of an advisory role for the Regional Authority leaves open the question of how responsibility will be divided between the two structures in practice. The decision reflects the seriousness with which the government views the spread of foot-and-mouth disease in livestock, as the disease directly affects the livelihood of livestock-farming families on the island.

NewsIt does not report a timeline for when the military will return coordination to civilian authorities, nor how the 3 million euros will be distributed among compensations, biosecurity measures, and operational expenses. It also remains unclear whether the number of 80,000 culled animals represents the total affected livestock or if additional cullings are expected. The issue remains under monitoring, as the cooperation between military and Regional Authority will ultimately be judged by the effectiveness of measures in the field. The spread of foot-and-mouth disease in Lesbos is connected to broader public health and economic issues affecting the region’s livestock sector, while similar zoonotic management issues have also occupied 79 municipalities on alert for West Nile virus.