Spain blasts Germany in cucumber row

Spain could sue the German city of Hamburg and seek compensation, after its authorities said Spanish cucumbers were the source of a deadly bacterial outbreak.

Izvor: B92

Wednesday, 01.06.2011.

15:23

Default images

Spain could sue the German city of Hamburg and seek compensation, after its authorities said Spanish cucumbers were the source of a deadly bacterial outbreak. Madrid has also asked that the EU compensates Spanish and other producers hit by the crisis. Spain blasts Germany in cucumber row Meanwhile, Hamburg's authorities have admitted that tests performed on two suspicious cucumbers showed that they were not the source of the deadly strain of the E. coli outbreak that killed 15 people in Germany and one person in Sweden - although the vegetables tested positive to the bacteria, a majority of whose strains are harmless. "We are not ruling out the possibility of a court procedure against the authorities who brought into question the quality of our produce, in this case, the authorities of Hamburg," Spain's First Deputy PM Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba was quoted as saying in the Spanish media. Spanish fruit and vegetable exporters appraised the damages they suffered thus far to over EUR 200mn per week, as importers across Europe dropped their produce. "This bacteria is not present in Spain," stressed Rubalcaba. "Once the truth has been determined, we must compensate our damages that are not low - we lost a lot of money and more reputation," noted the high ranking official. Euronews reported that a government official for Spain’s southern Andalusia region, Clara Aguilera, said that "no EU country can ban a product on its territory". "That’s up to the European Commission. Germany, Austria and Finland’s decisions are completely illegal,” stated Aguilera. The website also said that Germany’s Deputy Minister of Food Dietrich Guth noted that there were "some indications that the pathogen came from Spain". "But it’s up to now not clear, because it could also happen on the transport, so our authorities are trying to find the real source.” The city of Hamburg authorities also said they were still looking for the source of the outbreak. (FoNet)

Spain blasts Germany in cucumber row

Meanwhile, Hamburg's authorities have admitted that tests performed on two suspicious cucumbers showed that they were not the source of the deadly strain of the E. coli outbreak that killed 15 people in Germany and one person in Sweden - although the vegetables tested positive to the bacteria, a majority of whose strains are harmless.

"We are not ruling out the possibility of a court procedure against the authorities who brought into question the quality of our produce, in this case, the authorities of Hamburg," Spain's First Deputy PM Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba was quoted as saying in the Spanish media.

Spanish fruit and vegetable exporters appraised the damages they suffered thus far to over EUR 200mn per week, as importers across Europe dropped their produce.

"This bacteria is not present in Spain," stressed Rubalcaba.

"Once the truth has been determined, we must compensate our damages that are not low - we lost a lot of money and more reputation," noted the high ranking official.

Euronews reported that a government official for Spain’s southern Andalusia region, Clara Aguilera, said that "no EU country can ban a product on its territory".

"That’s up to the European Commission. Germany, Austria and Finland’s decisions are completely illegal,” stated Aguilera.

The website also said that Germany’s Deputy Minister of Food Dietrich Guth noted that there were "some indications that the pathogen came from Spain".

"But it’s up to now not clear, because it could also happen on the transport, so our authorities are trying to find the real source.”

The city of Hamburg authorities also said they were still looking for the source of the outbreak.

Komentari 0

0 Komentari

Možda vas zanima

Podeli: