Despite massive criticism and doumented cases of animal abuse, Norway’s conservative minority government coalition has decided to give the country’s controversial fur industry yet another chance. The government is setting much stricter demands, however, for animal welfare.
A majority of the members of the Parliament’s committee on business and industry voted, as expected, for the government’s much-debated plan for the fur industry. Both government parties (the Conservatives and the Progress Party) won support from the Christian Democrats and the Center Party, which champions the interests of outlying districts that still see fur farms as an important source of jobs and economic activity.
The Liberal Party, which has an agreement to support the government, refused to vote in favour of the fur industry after the latest batch of media reports documenting injured animals that set off massive protests nationwide. Also voting against the measure to continue allowing fur farming were the Labour Party and the Socialist Left party (SV), which had rallied for a managed phase-out of fur farms over the next several years.
newsinenglish.no staff
