The Conservative leader is on an election campaign tour in Western Norway these days. Today she visits the Salmon Eye viewing center in the Hardangerfjord. There she meets dissatisfied representatives of the aquaculture industry. After a protracted and heavily criticized process, the Storting adopted the salmon tax on Wednesday this week. It happened after the governing parties had entered into a settlement with Venstre and Patient Focus. Red also voted in favor. The tax rate was set at 25 percent. The government’s proposal was originally 35 percent. On 16 May, the Conservative Party, Venstre and KrF broke off the negotiations with the government parties, but Solberg is now opening up about what the Conservative Party could have been involved in. PERCENTAGES: The Conservative Party broke off the negotiations on the salmon tax in the Storting. Photo: Kristian Skårdalsmo / news – Lively compromise On a ferry trip between Skjersholmane and Ranavik, the Conservative leader opens up to news about the party’s approach to the salmon tax. – Could the Conservative Party accept a percentage rate of 15 per cent? – Yes, we said that too. We said that we can give in to the model, if the percentage had been set at 15. Because then the damaging effects would be much less. That was also what we suggested in the room as our starting point, says Solberg. – The government told us that 30 is “take it or leave it”. Then they didn’t get back to us at all. They did not ask us at 25. – You have previously been very clear that this model was unacceptable for the Conservative Party. Did you go back on that in the negotiations then? – The value of a broad compromise for everyone at a livable level would have been of such great value that a bad model would have been more possible to live with, if we had then been able to set the rate at a low level. Solberg says she has no doubt that the current rate of 25 per cent will hit investments in the aquaculture industry hard. This could lead to the companies taking their investments and development of technology and innovation elsewhere, she fears. – It will affect the coastal industries, and it will affect the supply industry for this industry as well, says Solberg. Investigated models If the Conservative Party were to win the election in 2025, the most important thing would be to have two other models investigated than the one currently adopted. Solberg will examine the so-called Faroese model, which is a variant of a production tax. In addition, she will investigate a possible higher corporation tax for the aquaculture industry. – The most important thing is the total tax burden, which means more, but it must be a tax burden that does not slow down development, says Solberg. During today’s visit to the Hardangerfjord, Solberg and several Conservative leaders will meet important players in the aquaculture industry. The world’s largest breeding company Mowi is involved, as is the supplier company ScaleAQ. The family-owned farming company Bolaks will also be involved. Geir Ove Ystmark from Sjømat Norge will also be present.
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Could accept salmon tax of 15 percent – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
