Polen: ASF update (as of 5 and 6 December 2017)

In the recent two weeks wild boars infected with ASF have been found in the area of Warsaw (central Poland) and in the outskirts of the city. According to the Polish Chief Veterinary Inspector is the transmission and spread of ASF into the area of Warsaw due to the role of human factors. In response, the Polish authorities have proposed amendments to some of the national acts related to national borders, hunting, and veterinary inspection.

It is intended to build physical barriers to stop the migration of wild boars from the east side of Poland (Belarus and Ukraine). The barrier will be a metal lattice along roads but not precisely along the national east border and not in nature areas. It has been estimated that the total length of all barriers will be around 1020 km with construction costs of around 130 M PLN, and 190 M PLN when including maintenance costs in the first years. The period of realization is planned to be 2018-2021.

With regard to amendments in the national hunting law, it will regulate hunting of wild boars in nature areas (like natural parks) and will introduce special paid leaves for hunters (6 days per year per person) in order to let them take part in the sanitary shooting of wild boars. As stated by the Polish Chief Veterinary Inspector, the shooting of wild boars should have a continuous character.

In addition, veterinary inspection will be allowed to form special temporary teams of investigators.

It is expected that the amendments will be adopted fast, by the end of this year, or early January 2018.

information retrieved from the website of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture, and Press conference of the v-ce Minister of Agriculture  as of 5 December 2017