The Labor Party (AP), the Progress Party (FRP), the Center Party (SP), and the Socialist Left Party (SV) have agreed to overrule the government in the case of a new compensation scheme for fur farmers.
The opposition’s position became clear in a recommendation from the parliamentary business committee on Friday – news bureau NTB had access to comments from the opposition parties.
The case is due for consideration in plenary on June 3.
“We have had negotiations to look for a solution that works for fur farmers so that we can now put an end to this case,” FRP spokesman Bengt Rune Strifeldt told NTB.
Parliament decided to wind up the fur industry in June 2019, but the question of how much the farmers will receive in compensation has been disputed ever since.
“It is a fairly serious move that the parliament made when we introduced a ban on the industry. We were on board, in terms of animal welfare, but (we were) also clear that we have to make up for it in a proper way,” Terje Aasland (AP) said.
More farmers included
The new compensation scheme will include more farmers than before, partly because the scheme will include owners who have invested in rented fur farms.
In addition, all farmers who kept fur animals after January 1, 2015, and owned a facility for keeping fur animals on January 15, 2018, will be covered by the scheme. In the old scheme, only farmers who had animals in their facility at the beginning of 2018 received compensation.
“In total, there are just under 300 farmers, divided into mink and fox farming,” Aasland said.
Tax-free
In addition, the regulations will be changed so that the compensation assessment is based on the technical assessment of facilities and operating accessories.
The proposal from the opposition also means that the entire compensation will be tax-free. It also includes better coverage of the farmers’ legal costs.
“It seems very unreasonable that you first introduce a business ban, then you give compensation, and then you take maybe half back in taxes,” Geir Pollestad (SP) commented.
The cost of the new scheme will be larger than for the government’s original proposal, which was estimated at approximately NOK 1.2 billion.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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