Lithuanian lawmakers on Thursday passed a law banning fur farms in the country from 2027.
Sixty-eight MPs voted in favour of the proposed amendments to the Law on Welfare and Protection of Animals, 25 voted against and 15 abstained.
The law, among other this, bans fur animal farms. Their owners will be compensated, but the size of the compensations has been the subject of complaints from the business community.
“We have reached the level of maturity not to continue with activities that cause pain,” Ieva Pakarklytė of the liberal Freedom Party, part of the ruling coalition, said before the vote, pointing out that the biggest demand for fur is in Russia and China.
The ban will come into force in 2027 after a transitional period from 2024 to 2026 when fur farmers will be able to close their farms and receive compensation. They will be paid 3 euros per animal in the first year, 2 euros per animal in the second year and one euro in the final year.
The government will also compensate redundancy payments for farm workers and cover costs related to the demolition of buildings, the destruction of equipment and waste management. Farms that have already closed down will not be eligible for the compensations as payments will be made only to farmers who will be in operation at the time the adoption of the law.
Lithuania becomes the 20th country in Europe to ban this type of business. The law has yet to be signed by President Gitanas Nausėda.
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