Poland, Czech Republic plan joint position on ASF

Poland and the Czech Republic are preparing a joint position on the prevention of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Europe, Deputy Agriculture Minister Szymon Gizynski said in Czestochowa, southern Poland, on Monday, after talks with Czech counterpart Jindrich Fialka. Gizynski told reporters that the joint position, to be presented at an October 4-scheduled meeting of the Visegrad Group countries, advised obligatory wild-boar cullings throughout the EU, better commercial regulations for ASF-endangered areas and more EU aid for countries involved in combating ASF, including more funding for prevention. He added that Poland and the Czech Republic also agreed to pool forces for research on ways to fight the disease. Fialka said ASF was a major problem for his country, adding that the Czech Republic was so far the only country to successfully eliminate the disease. In this context Fialka assured that his country was ready to help Poland in the matter.