Government decided on division into regions

The Government has decided on the division into regions on 29 August 2019. Municipalities themselves had proposed to the Government changes in regions.

As of 1 January 2021, the division into regions is amended as follows:

• The municipality of Heinävesi will move from the region of South Savo to the region of North Karelia.
• The municipality of Joroinen will move from the region of South Savo to the region of North Savo.
• The municipality of Iitti will move from the region of Kymenlaakso to the region of Päijät-Häme.
• The municipality of Kuhmoinen will move from the region of Central Finland to the region of Pirkanmaa.
• The municipality of Isokyrö will move from the region of Ostrobothnia to the region of South Ostrobothnia.

As concerns Heinävesi, Joroinen, Kuhmoinen and Isokyrö, the original proposal was connected to the regional administration reform of the previous government and municipalities maintained their proposal in force regardless of the expiry of the reform. The municipality of Iitti had earlier proposed its transfer and the proposal decided now was already initiated in 2015.

“The main reason for changes in regions is connected to where the municipality’s services and commuting tend to be directed. In this way, the vitality of the municipality and the area can be supported in the best possible way. In addition, municipalities’ own proposals are naturally given weight. Because changes in regions have an effect on other regional divisions or cooperation agreements, the aim was to give a sufficient amount of time for preparations,” says Minister of Local Government and Ownership Steering Sirpa Paatero.

Due to the changes in the division into regions, preparations will also start for changing the regional divisions of the rescue services, the state local district division and the electoral district division of the Parliamentary elections.

Inquiries:

Teemu Eriksson, Senior Financial Adviser, tel. +358 955 5314, firstname.lastname(at)vm.fi