According to Minister Toivakka, the cessation of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ North-West Russia activities will affect Russians most

Ministers for Nordic Cooperation decided in their meeting on 11 March to cease until further notice the Nordic Council of Ministers’ activities in North-West Russia, which have continued for 20 years. Behind this action is the decision made by the Russian authorities in January to include the Nordic Council of Ministers’ St. Petersburg office on Russia’s list of organisations classified as foreign agents.

“Yesterday’s decision is unfortunate, but the Nordic countries were unanimous on the issue,” emphasises Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Toivakka, who is responsible for Nordic cooperation. “It should be remembered that this is a consequence of a decision taken by the Russian authorities, who removed from the office its capacity to operate.”

“The Nordic Council of Ministers’ operating locations in North-West Russia have carried out good and respected work for 20 years, building links between the Nordic countries and North-West Russia with authorities, businesses and civil society. The cessation of the activities will affect Russians most. The Russian authorities’ decision left us with no other options, however. It is on no account acceptable for the Russian authorities to classify the office as a foreign agent,” says Toivakka.

The cessation of the activities until further notice does not mean the full withdrawal of the Nordic Council of Ministers from North-West Russia. “We now have to find new forms of cooperation,” says Toivakka.

Inquiries: Kari Kahiluoto, Head of the National Secretariat for Nordic Cooperation, tel. +358 50 575 4973, Miika Tomi, Press Attaché to the Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade, tel. +358 50 574 0507