Babken Pipoyan: This is a national tragedy that we learn about a local problem from another country
Only one case of foot-and-mouth disease has been registered in Armenia, a spokesperson for the State Service for Food Safety (SSFS) told A1+ on January 22. Staring January 20, Russia banned the import of a number of agricultural and dairy products from Armenia. The import of wool, leather, fur, toothpaste is also banned connected with the instable situation in Armenia caused by foot-an-mouth disease. However, the SSFS representatives assured us that there nothing to worry about as they are taking ‘preventive measures.’ “This is a national tragedy that we learn about a local problem from another country,” Babken Pipoyan, Chairman of the Informed and Protected Consumer NGO, told A1+. Even in Mozambique people would know about infections and diseases from inner sources and not from a second country. And this became known when the parties were negotiating in Moscow. The SSFS yesterday provided on its website information about the talks but there was no mention about foot-an-mouth disease which means they hide information from us in our own country. We need to have a complete picture, but it turns out that the agency which is supposed to provide is information, is hiding it from us. So, we are unreliable partners. I think the State Service for Food Safety should first apologize to public, then stop providing inaccurate information and employ people who will inspire hope in public. Why did they decide to cheat people? It was the Russian side that openly spoke about the problem, but this is an important issue for us as it concerns the entire country. The ban was put on the entire country and not on a spate region or marz. The Ministry of Agriculture has not given any explanation yet,” Mr Pipoyan said.
