Both Finland and Sweden have now submitted their applications for NATO membership. This also means that Sweden is now leaving its 200-year freedom of alliance. Previously, Håkan Jonsson, Chairman of the Sami Parliament’s Board, has expressed himself positively about NATO membership.
– With the military situation we have today, it would feel a little safer with a membership in NATO, he said to SR Sameradion earlier this week.
But Sweden’s northernmost Sami village, Könkämä, which borders both Finland and Norway, is growing in concern. The Sami village has pastures in both Sweden and Norway, and despite the Norwegian NATO membership, the Sami village has not had the largest number of exercises.
Unfamiliar with exercises
According to Per Olof Nutti, it may be because they have the reindeer on the Swedish side in winter. Now that Sweden is joining NATO, he is worried that the exercises will spread over larger areas and disturb the reindeer on the Swedish side as well.
– In Sweden, we are not used to these large exercises that NATO has and I think it will affect us a lot, says Per Olof Nutti.
He urges organizations in Sweden to address the issue and also the Sami Parliament to start working on this. Based on reindeer husbandry, he wants to see Sweden and Finland work together and try to learn how Norway has worked over the years.
– The Sami villages must cooperate between the borders and see what impact this has, says Per Olof Nutti.