Belarus adopts additional measures to contain ASF

MINSK, 10 September (BelTA) – Additional measures to eliminate and curb the spread of African swine fever were passed in Belarus. The measures were set forth in Council of Ministers’ Resolution No. 758 dated 29 August 2013 “Concerning additional measures to eliminate and prevent the spread of African swine fever”. The resolution was officially posted on the national legal Internet portal on 10 September, BelTA has learnt.

The oblast executive committees and the Minsk City Council were instructed to come up with a system of measures to prevent the spread of ASF and other hazardous animal infections.

The communities were the disease was detected were banned from keeping pigs within at least 6 months after all the pigs were slaughtered and veterinary and sanitary measures were enacted. The sale of live pigs (except for young pigs) from pig breeding farms is prohibited, except for sale of these products to meat packing companies.

The permission of a state veterinary service is needed to sell pork and pork products, combined feed, mineral additives, premixes and associated products to companies and individuals, including self-employed businessmen, except for meat packing companies. The import of such merchandise from countries with an unfavorable African swine fever situation and unauthorized trade in these products are forbidden.

In line with the resolution, a national-level staff in charge of taking extraordinary measures to fight African swine fever and other dangerous animal diseases was set up to supervise and coordinate efforts to contain the epidemic situation at the national level. Decisions of the staff are mandatory for government agencies, municipal executive and administrative bodies. Other documents enforced by the resolution include the temporary provision on the special regime for using wild boars on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, the action plan to contain and eliminate the spread of African swine fever on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, the provision on imposing and lifting quarantines, the provision on withdrawing sick animals and (or) animal products obtained from them, the provision on compensations for legal entities and individuals, including self-employed businessmen.

The Emergencies Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Agriculture and Food Ministry were tasked to purchase the necessary disinfection equipment in 2013 and H1 2014.

The resolution recommends Belagroprombank and Belarusbank to provide a two-year deferment of payment on the loans and interest payment and to issue soft loans to the affected agricultural companies and farms that need to restore the livestock population.

The Agriculture and Food Ministry and the Finance Ministry were instructed to consider setting up a national laboratory center to diagnose animal diseases, control the safety of animal feed, including compound feed and food products.

The Agriculture and Food Ministry, the Economy Ministry and the Labor and Social Security Ministry and other stakeholders were recommended to keep in touch with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and competent agencies of the Customs Union, the CIS and the EU with a view to developing a common strategy to prevent and eliminate dangerous infectious animal diseases, including diseases common for human beings and animals.

The National Academy of Sciences was instructed to complete the renovation of facilities of the Vyshelessky State Academy of Veterinary Medicine of Vitebsk in 2014-2015.

Local authorities were ordered to conduct an awareness raising campaign using mass media and other instruments to educate people about animal diseases and measures to combat them. The same task was set for members of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly.

The Justice Ministry and the Agriculture and Food Ministry were instructed to draft a law on improving regulations in veterinary medicine. The draft law should be submitted to the Council of Ministers. Amendments to the Criminal Code and the Administrative Offences Code should be introduced to toughen punishment for failure to notify the government about incidences of animal diseases, as well as about production, sale or use of low-quality animal feed and additives, violation of quarantine and other food safety rules.

The resolution came into force on the day it was passed.