"The decision to grant (Croatia) this status was made by the European Commission yesterday, and Croatia was commended for the processes it has implemented (to tackle this issue)," Romic told a news conference.
This contagious disease arrived in Europe from Africa in 2013 via Turkey and was registered in Greece and Bulgaria in 2015. In June this year, Serbia, Croatia's neighbour, reported to the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) the first case of lumpy skin disease in the country, detected on several small farms in south Serbia close to the border with Macedonia. This viral disease of cattle, which is spread by biting insects, was also reported in Montenegro.
Therefore, Croatia's Agriculture Ministry launched preventive vaccination on 8 August, and the minister today thanked veterinary experts, institutions, cattle breeders and others engaged in the implementation of vaccination.
The process of vaccination is going on.