A citizens’ initiative aiming to close Russia’s diplomatic mission in the autonomous Åland islands has gathered the 50,000 signatures required for consideration by the Finnish Parliament, Report informs referring to Yle news.
According to the initiative, the consulate in Mariehamn limits and endangers Finland’s security now that the country is a member of the NATO military alliance. The Åland Islands form a demilitarized, self-governing province of Finland.
In July, the Ministerial Committee on Foreign Policy and Security, along with the president, announced that Finland would cancel Russia’s permission to operate a consulate in the southwestern city of Turku from the start of October.
This was a countermeasure after Russia closed Finland’s consulate in Saint Petersburg. In the same meeting, decision-makers also discussed Russia’s consulate in Mariehamn.
For example, the former ambassador to Russia, Hannu Himanen, told the Finnish news agency STT in July that it would be a natural move for Finland to close the Mariehamn mission as well.
