Dozens injured as thousands protest EU livestock export ban extension amid disease outbreak and economic strain.
Riot police clashed with Romanian shepherds and farmers in the capital Bucharest on Tuesday as a protest against the extension of a European Union ban on live livestock exports descended into violence.
About 2,000 people, primarily sheep and goat farmers from across the country, gathered outside the government headquarters in Victory Square to demand the reversal of restrictions imposed due to outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants (PPR), also known as small ruminant plague or sheep and goat plague, along with cases of sheep and goat pox.
Romanian Farmers Clash With Police Over Export Ban:
Violence erupted when some demonstrators began throwing rocks, metal barriers, sticks and other objects at officers and attempted to breach security cordons. Police responded with tear gas to disperse the crowd. According to riot police statements, 26 people were detained. Twenty-four demonstrators and officers required medical attention for injuries including broken bones and effects from the gas; four were hospitalised.
The European Commission extended the ban on live sheep and goat exports from Romania until the end of 2026, citing insufficient preventive measures by national authorities after the highly contagious disease was detected. Romania had been one of the EU’s largest exporters of live sheep, with significant earnings from markets outside the bloc. Farmers say the prolonged restrictions have devastated livelihoods, blocked contracts, raised animal maintenance costs and left many farms on the brink.
Protesters also criticised the government’s handling of the outbreaks, demanded better compensation for culled animals and crops hit by drought, and called for the resignation of Alexandru Bociu, head of the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA). Some sought an end to mandatory culling in affected zones and other relief measures. Organisers had planned to bring sheep, tractors and hay bales, but restrictions limited access for live animals and heavy machinery.
Romania Farmers Protest Export Ban Over Livestock Crisis:
President Nicusor Dan condemned the violence, describing attacks, assaults and vandalism as “unacceptable” and calling for them to be punished according to the law. Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said he respected the right to peaceful protest but noted that the events had “degenerated into regrettable acts of violence.” Both the government and opposition urged demonstrators to avoid further unrest.
The demonstration followed earlier protests in July outside ANSVSA and government buildings over the same issues. Romania, a country of about 19 million people, has faced months of high inflation-the highest in the EU-and ongoing political uncertainty. Farmers and their supporters, including some linked to far-right groups according to reports, framed the export ban as an existential threat to traditional pastoral livelihoods that sustain rural communities.
Authorities have indicated they are preparing an action plan for submission to the European Commission aimed at eventually allowing controlled resumption of exports once biosecurity conditions improve. For many of those who travelled to Bucharest, however, the immediate priority remains lifting the restrictions and securing meaningful financial support before more farms collapse.