The Spanish far-right party Vox attempted to capitalize on a recent issue to criticize Morocco. Jorge Buxadé, head of the party's delegation in the European Parliament, called for a complete ban on Moroccan strawberry imports following a health warning related to the potential presence of hepatitis A. In a letter addressed to the European Commissioners for Food Health (Stella Kyriakides), Agriculture (Janusz Wojciechowski), and Environment (Virginijus Sinkevičius), Buxadé denounced what he claimed as «the Moroccan practice of irrigating with wastewater and the unacceptable negligence in controls on products imported from third countries». He also warned of an alleged «direct threat to public health and the integrity of the European agricultural market». Buxadé further claimed that «this is not an isolated incident but rather the result of a continuing pattern of indifference and lack of action by the competent EU authorities regarding imported products». This request from Vox, known for its critical stance towards Morocco, follows concerns raised by European farmers regarding the potential contamination of Moroccan strawberries with hepatitis A, based on a notification from the European Union's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). The Spanish Agricultural Association expressed its «concern» and urged the Spanish government and the EU to take «urgent measures». Meanwhile in Morocco, authorities responded by launching an inquiry into the allegations through their National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA), a well-informed source told Yabiladi.
