The NTA, at the request of the Deputy Minister of Interior, carried out an audit on:
a) the compliance or not of the conditions during the organization of the event "Representation of the custom of threshing" that took place in the summer of 2023 in a municipality of the Regional Unit of Arcadia and
b) the examination of the possible animals’ abuse that participated in this event.
Findings during the audit.
As for the compliance with the conditions of the event, the municipality did not take care of:
- The licensing of the event “Re-enactment of Traditional Horse Threshing” organized by the competent municipal enterprise in the local community of the municipality by decision of the Municipal Council, b) the preparation of a report by a veterinarian before the event which is submitted to the Municipal Council before the approval of the event and which constitutes an integral part of its decision, (c) the compulsory presence of a veterinarian throughout the event; and (d) the drawing up of a new report by the supervising veterinarian after the end of the event confirming that the welfare of the participating horses has not been compromised
- The competent municipal company as the responsible body for the organization of the event "Representation of the custom of threshing" which was held in the local community, used five (5) horses without complying with the requirements of par. 2 of Article 23 of Law 23. According to the provisions for the use of an animal in the context of the observance of folk or local traditions without observing the prescribed conditions, administrative sanctions are provided for, namely a fine of € 10.000,00 for each animal used. Five (5) horses were used in this event, so the administrative fine to be imposed on the municipal enterprise amounts to fifty thousand euros (€50,000.00).
As for the abuse of the animals that participated in the event, the Regional Unit’s Directorate of Veterinary Services after the autopsy conducted by its veterinarians, after the event, on horses that were used in the event after the indication of their owners by the relevant Police Station of the region, concluded that there is no evidence to suggest abuse of the above animals.
Disciplinary responsibilities were sought against the Mayor, as he did not take care of the licensing of the event, organized by the municipal company in the local community of the municipality. A copy of the Audit Report was forwarded to the Prosecutor of the Athens Court of Appeal, for the criminal assessment of the facts contained therein.
Finally, it was recommended to the Independent Department of Legislative Initiative and Parliamentary Control of the Ministry of Interior:
To take the necessary steps to issue the ministerial decision referred to in the provisions of par. 17 of Article 45 of Legislation 4830/2021 (A' 169) which will determine the specific issues relating to the manner and procedure for the collection, disposal, and adjustment of the fines under par. 1 and 2 of Article 35 of the same law, since the Special Secretariat for the Protection of Companion Animals of the Ministry of Interior, with its letter with record number 77341/18.09.2023 (record number incoming NTA 38964 EI 2023/19.09.2023) notified the NTA that this ministerial decision has not yet been issued so that the corresponding fines can be imposed.