Sheep and goats sick with smallpox are been sold in Greece’s “black market”

Agricultural Development & Food Minister Costas Tsiaras made a shocking revelation: that sheep and goats sick with the smallpox virus are not been killed as safety measures dictate but they are being sold in the “black market” at half the price. that is for €75 instead of 150 euros.

Speaking to OPEN TV on Wednesday morning, Minister Tsiaras said, among others, that some livestock farmers “are hiding the cases of sick animals, when checks are being carried out.”

This practice has spread the virus disease in Thessaly,

For the rapid spread of smallpox in sheep and goats in Thessaly and the revelation that some are selling sick sheep and goats at half price on the black market, as well as the lack of measures by the authorities, Development Minister Costas Tsiaras gave a statement.

He stressed that “great efforts and extensive checks are being made, but the result is not what we want. We will hold a meeting next week with the Regional Governors to address this specific issue.”

For the spread of the smallpox in animals, he blamed the climate change and the virus mutations and underlined that the outbreak is not limited only in Greece.

“But why do we have an outbreak of animals diseases not only in Greece but also in other countries? First, because the climate crisis creates higher temperatures, so it is easier for the viruses to be transmitted, and second, diseases have changed over time, making them more contagious and resistant. While we dealt with the plague with smallpox, we did not have the same success because the plague virus lives for 21 days, while the smallpox virus lives for 6 months.”

He added that “great efforts and extensive controls have been carried out, but the result is not what we want. We will hold a meeting with the Regional Governors to address this specific issue.”

He said that there are livestock farmers who hide smallpox, which keeps it spreading. “We go there when they declare a case and we find dead and other animals.”

He reiterated that vaccinations of animals are out of question as they will affect the exports of the Feta cheese in the near future.

Minister Tsiaras did not reveal whether the meat of the sick animals lands on Greeks’ plates, how exactly he will stop this practice and what are the dangers for the public health.

The virus is not transmitted to humans, but still it’s quite gross…

Since the smallpox outbreak in sheep and goats in spring 2025, over 200,000 sheep and goats have been culled.

Video: via ethnos.gr  9:48-15:46

PS Typical politicians who stick to half-truths.