“Russians in Norway are not to be blamed for the Kremlin’s political choices”
“If there is clear advice from the authorities, these will be followed”, writes the municipal council, and continues:
“The structure of the agreement, counterparty, realism in that the cooperation can be resumed after what will probably be a long break has not been clarified, and it is therefore most natural to put the agreement on hold. It is President Putin and his regime who are responsible for the violations of international law, basic human rights and the love of war”.
Protect the Russian people
The fact that there are quite a few Russians living in Norway, and in Northern Norway in particular, also plays into the decision. The municipal board does not want Russians in Norway to be blamed for political elections to the power elite in the Kremlin.
“It is our hope that there will be peace in Ukraine and democracy in Russia. Therefore we want that at a later stage it may become relevant to have an active people to people cooperation again”, concludes Rana municipal council in the decision.
This week, Narvik and Vardø municipality also decided to keep the friendship agreements instead of terminating them. And in October, the border municipality Sør-Varanger and Bodø municipality decided to leave the friendship agreements still in abeyance.
Tromsø municipality chose to terminate its friendship agreement with the Russian cities of Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and Nadym.
Russian Twin Cities:
- Hamaroy – Kirishi
- Guild bowl – Lodeynoye Pole
- Weaving – Volkhov
- Steigen – Podporodge
- Ballangen – Tosno
- Alta – Apathy
- Harstad – Kirovsk
- Narvik – Tosno and Kingisepp
- Sør-Varanger – Pechenga and Severomorsk
- Vardø – Arkhangelsk and Severomorsk
- Bodø – Vyborg
- Sortland – Montchegorsk
- Mo i Rana – Petrozavodsk
- Tromsø – Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and Nadym (cancelled)