Meat from sick Polish cows reached Slovak schools and restaurants

Minister recommends not to consume Polish beef.

Illustrative stock photoIllustrative stock photo (Source: Ján Krošlák, Sme)

Meat from cows slaughtered in Poland made it to restaurants and schools in Slovakia.

Almost 300 kilograms of meat from the slaughterhouse that also produced meat from sick cows were distributed to restaurants and schools, informed Jozef Bíreš, head of the State Veterinary and Food Administration of the Slovak Republic, at press briefing in Ivachnová on January 31.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

Bíreš said that he cannot tell if the meat was from sick animals.

“According to the statements of Polish authorities, the official inspections did not take place as they should have, so it is impossible to guarantee the safeness of the meat,” he said, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

SkryťTurn off ads

Three companies

Read also: Meat from sick cows in Poland reportedly not exported to Slovakia Read more 

The Slovak public learnt on Wednesday night that Polish meat was distributed to three shops in Slovakia. The Poles reported to Slovak vets through a warning system of the European Commission.

The Poles pointed out three companies where meat from sick cows could originate – Cimbalak from Bardejov, Marek Kazimir – MK FOOD from Gaboltov, and Ladislav Cabai from Bidovce. The State Veterinary and Food Administration published these names on its website.

Based on the distribution statement, there is a declaration that all meat went to public catering facilities.

“The guarantee system for Polish meat has failed again. It is not the first time,” Bíreš said, as quoted by TASR. He added that they passed on the information to the Public Health Authority, which is investigating the issue. They haven’t received any feedback yet.

SkryťTurn off ads

Nine other countries

After the case leaked, vets and hygienists launched extensive inspections.

Gabriela Matečná, Agriculture Minister (SNS), recommends not to consume Polish beef, as the trustworthiness of the Polish veterinary office was discredited. She recommends to eat Slovak meat instead, which is under full control of the ministry.

The meat from the slaughterhouse in Poland was allegedly distributed to nine EU countries in addition to Slovakia: Hungary, Estonia, Finland, France, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden, according to Matečná.

She will meet the Polish Ambassador in Slovakia on Friday, February 1, to let him explain the situation, she told the journalists.

Top stories

Volt Slovensko will participate in the 2024 European elections.

News digest: New Globsec survey confirms Slovak affinity for Russian propaganda

Police from Roma abuse case to face court again, Germany pulling its Patriot, and an interview with a Nobel Prize winner.


11 h
Jupiter (centre) and its Galilean moons: from left Ganymede, Io, Europa and Callisto. Juice with deployed antennas and arrays is in the bottom right.

From Košice to Ganymede: Slovak engineers are leaving their mark in space

Slovaks are active participants in two ongoing space missions.


20. may
The Swedish Radio building.

While Sweden moves to protect journalists more, Slovakia waits for politicians to act

Journalists in both countries are facing more harassment, polls show.


14 h
Emmanuelle Charpentier.

Nobel Prize winner: Pandemic threat from bacteria, fungi, is not just sci-fi

Emmanuelle Charpentier in Bratislava to promote top science festival.


19 h
SkryťClose ad