It was the Sámi Parliament on the Norwegian side of Sápmi that initiated the meeting with the colleagues from the other countries. The meeting was attended by, among others, Pirita Näkkäläjärvi, President of the Sami Parliament on the Finnish side, Tom Sottinen, plenary leader on the Norwegian side and President of the Sami Parliament Håkan Jonsson.
– This is a historic meeting, which brings together the Sámi Parliament in this kind of collaboration, says Tom Sottinen to NRK Sápmi.
“Will continue to talk”
Together, they want to strengthen the legitimacy of the Sámi parliamentary elections. As the system works today, they pose major challenges for the Sámi Parliament. The conditions for being on the voter lists look partly different in the different countries. But above all, those who wish to be included in the voter register can refer to historical sources in one of the other countries – and then cooperation is required to be able to check sources, Sottinen has previously stated.
After the meeting, the participants agreed to continue working together.
– We have agreed that we will continue to talk and consult each other about the voter lists, says Pirita Näkkäläjärvi, President of the Sami Parliament on the Finnish side, to NRK Sápmi.
Want to change the laws
Håkan Jonsson hopes that the collaboration will also lead to the rules eventually becoming more similar in the different countries. So that the requirements to be included in the voter’s register can be the same in all countries.
– I thought it was a good meeting, where we had the opportunity to learn and ask questions, he says to NRK Sápmi.
He continues:
– It is important that we work together and solve challenges together. It would be good if in the future we could change the rules so that they are more similar to each other.