SPAIN: The Pamplona bull run and hundreds of smaller Spanish festivals are threatened this year by a rare cattle disease, blue tongue virus, which has led to government restrictions on the movement of livestock in Andalucia, Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha.
Bullfight organisers have asked the government to exempt bull running because of the bull's special status in Spanish culture.
But the agriculture ministry insisted yesterday that the restrictions would remain in place as long as necessary. They would be reassessed at the end of this month.
Its spokeswoman said: "It's still early to talk about what might happen in July. We have to hope the situation improves, and it is already changing a lot." Although Pamplona is hundreds of miles from the restriction areas, all the bulls booked to fight at this year's festival are affected by the restrictions. - (Guardian Service)
