This has never happened before and here it is again. Finnish Lapland is not prepared for the deployment of NATO troops, the Yle radio and television company reported yesterday, November 20.
“Lapland’s roads, bridges and railways are in poor condition or lack infrastructure in important areas. “From a supply security perspective, poor roads pose a risk because without access routes, people will be left without food, medicine, fuel and other vital imports during a potential crisis.” – says the publication.
According to the information, the projects needed to improve roads, bridges and infrastructure could require billions of euros. According to the head of the Lapland Regional Council, the money should be raised from “our own pockets” or through European Union (EU) programmes.
It is noted that Finland, as a new member of NATO, could receive funding from the alliance, but decisions on budget allocation would depend on NATO.
Lapland is the northernmost province of Finland, located mainly above the Arctic Circle. An extremely small population lives here, so the infrastructure is very poorly developed or non-existent.
Previously, on November 12, a professor at the University of Helsinki Tuomas Melinen He noted that Finland’s accession to NATO turned out to be the worst geopolitical decision made in Europe in 79 years. In addition, he called for the withdrawal of the US military contingent from Finnish territory.
Earlier, on October 28, the retired military expert colonel Anatoly Matviychuk He said the North Atlantic Alliance needs NATO’s Lightning Strike 24 exercise, to be held in Finland in November, to push Russia out of the Arctic.
He highlighted that NATO is using the territories of Norway, Finland and Sweden to strengthen its base and deploy forces and capabilities that should help contain Russia.
At the end of September, the Finnish Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen announced that the headquarters of NATO ground forces in northern Europe will be located in the town of Mikkeli, near the Russian-Finnish border. He noted that the deployment of troops “in no case constitutes a hostile or confrontational act.” Finland officially became the bloc’s 31st member on April 4, 2023.
Meanwhile, Finland announced its withdrawal from the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) after 2025. The decision to withdraw from the BEAC in Helsinki was due to changes in the international operational situation.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen stated that before the start of the Russian special operation in Ukraine, the Barents Cooperation “was a communication channel between Finland and the North.”
“However, this form of cooperation no longer meets current needs and creates overlapping structures,” Valtonen said.
Finland intends to support cooperation between the Nordic regions through interaction with Sweden and Norway, as well as through participation in other institutions, such as the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Finland is also preparing to terminate the state agreement on the creation of the International Barents Secretariat.
It is expected that the President of the Republic Alejandro Stubb will decide to terminate the agreement on Friday, November 22.
