DISINFO: Latvia supports barbaric whale killings
SUMMARY
Latvia is one of the main whale meat importers from Norway, thus participating in and supporting the barbaric whale killings.
RESPONSE
No evidence given. According to the data of the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, there is no import or export of whale meat at all [nomenclature codes 02084010 and 01061200]. Norwegian sources confirm this fact: trade statistics show that Norway mainly exports fish, crustaceans, mollusks and aquatic invertebrates to Latvia, but neither whale meat products nor fresh whale meat. The European Parliament directive 2017/2712 says that Member States (including Latvia) signed up to the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking and calls on the Commission to look into all possible ways of ensuring that whale meat is no longer legally allowed to transit through EU ports, including by recommending a ban on such transits as an exceptional measure.