Greek livestock farmers are pushing back against pressure from the European Commission to vaccinate animals against an ongoing sheep-pox outbreak, amid claims that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned them that EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi has a “specific agenda” on vaccination.
More than 470,000 animals have already been culled, and farmers fear that mandatory vaccination could jeopardise exports of feta cheese and undermine long-term production.
While the European Commission has been recommending vaccination, Athens has so far refused to proceed, citing concerns that by-products from vaccinated animals could face restrictions in third-country markets.
On Monday, farmers met Mitsotakis to seek clarity. According to accounts reported by Documento, the prime minister told them that Várhelyi has “a specific agenda, and people should be aware of that.”
“I am saying this openly. That is why he is pushing us to vaccinate. We will not follow this approach; we will follow the Ministry’s scientific committee instead,” Mitsotakis reportedly said.
The government maintains that no vaccination will take place as long as there is no EU-approved vaccine. When contacted by Euractiv, it did not respond to a request to confirm the reported remarks about Várhelyi.
The Commission’s reaction
A European Commission spokesperson declined to comment on the Prime Minister’s statements. However, the official stressed that vaccination remains the recommended path forward, based on epidemiological evidence and the advice of the EU Veterinary Emergency Team, which was on the ground in Greece in May 2025.
The spokesperson explained that in order to market any veterinary medicinal product in the EU, a manufacturer must apply for a marketing authorisation.
“When we speak of ‘no vaccine approved at EU level’, this reflects the fact that no manufacturer has applied,” the official said, adding that limited economic incentives play a role, as the disease is not expected to spread widely.
The Commission also underlined that EU rules allow member states to authorise non-EU-approved vaccines for emergency use, in agreement with Brussels.
“The EU vaccine bank contains doses of sheep and goat pox vaccine suitable for this purpose, should a Member State decide to use them,” the spokesperson concluded.
(adm, cs)