Denmark to Start Reviewing Compensation Claims From Mink Breeders Soon

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Denmark will soon begin the review of compensation claims submitted by mink breeders who were affected by the government's decision to slaughter all the animals after a coronavirus strain was detected in some species, the Danish ministry of food, agriculture and fisheries said on Saturday.

"An assessment of compensation claims will begin for enterprises that were taken out of business and lost their earnings for the following nine years," the ministry said in a statement.

At the start of the year, the Danish parliament agreed to pay mink breeders compensation amounting to DKK 18.8 billion (around $2.8 billion) for the destruction of their livestock. In November, mink breeders demanded to be paid an additional DKK 600 million.

Enterprises will have the opportunity to begin applying for compensation from Monday. The amount of compensation for each farm will be evaluated by six independent agencies.

Since January, Danish authorities have already paid mink breeders over DKK 3 billion in compensation.

In November 2020, Denmark announced the mass culling of all mink in the country, up to 17 million, because a coronavirus strain was detected in some species and amid concerns that humans could catch the disease from the animals.

In December, the Danish authorities adopted a law that prohibited the breeding and keeping of mink in the country until 31 December 2021 due to the risk of the mutated COVID-19 infection resurfacing. The government admitted that it had no legal right to demand mink farm owners cull their livestock before the relevant legislation was passed.