class=”sc-3778e872-0 cKDKQr”>
Since the beginning of April, the petition has garnered 28,000 votes. From 50,000 signatures, the Finnish parliament will deal with the case. The demand supported by thousands of Finns: the Russian consulate on the Åland Islands must be closed. Since Finland is now a member of NATO, this consulate endangers Finland’s security, many signatories argue.
The Russian consulate in Mariehamn, the archipelago’s most populous city, dates back to an agreement between Finland and the then Soviet Union. The goal since 1856: to supervise the demilitarization of the islands. This means that no military units may be stationed. Today only the Russian consul and his wife live in the house.
Since the beginning of the Russian offensive war in Ukraine, voices have become louder calling for the disappearance of the Russian diplomatic mission. “There is actually no reason to have contacts anymore,” Petra Granholm summed it up on Deutschlandfunk last year. She works for a Finnish NGO a stone’s throw from the consulate.
Expert calls for closure of consulate
With the accession to NATO, the discussion about the consulate has intensified again. According to the “FAZ”, some politicians in the Finnish parliament are questioning the demilitarization of the Åland Islands.
According to military experts, the archipelago could be used as a gateway by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin (70). “This is the Achilles’ heel of the Finnish defense system,” said Alpo Rusi (72), professor and former Finnish presidential adviser, in an interview with AFP news agency. “There are concerns that Finland may not be able to respond militarily quickly enough in the event of a sudden attack on Åland.” In addition, important shipping routes and data cables run in the immediate vicinity of the islands. A suspicion of espionage against the consulate is obvious. It was also expressed by Rusi, among others.
The “FAZ” said the expert that some Russians had acquired land in Finland with the help of the consulate and equipped it with piers and helipads. Rusi called for the agency to be closed as soon as possible.
If soldiers were stationed on the islands now, it would send a clear signal to Russia. The question is: how would Putin react to this?
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
