– It is to mark the seriousness. The war is getting closer and closer to us, and we must highlight that Tromsø municipality strongly distances itself from it. That’s what Gunnar Wilhelmsen (Ap), mayor of Tromsø, says after the unanimous municipal council decision to say about the friendship agreement with three Russian cities. – Do you expect that the other cities that have such agreements will now follow Tromsø? – Yes, I hope so, but it is up to the municipalities to make the assessment. We have made our assessment on behalf of Tromsø municipality. Tromsø was twinned with Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and Nadym. Russian bus showing the twin cities of Murmansk. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news 9 Norwegian municipalities have such agreements with Russian cities. Besides Tromsø, this applies to Vardø, Kirkenes, Alta, Harstad, Narvik, Bodø, Mo i Rana and Moss. – Timely to consider the signal Kari-Anne Opsal (Ap), head of the Municipal Sector’s organization in Troms and Finnmark, and mayor of Harstad, believes more people should consider doing as Tromsø does. – In practical politics, it does not play such a big role. This collaboration has been dormant for many years. She says that it is timely to consider the formal signal, which ending the agreement will be. – It is perhaps important that such actions are taken that clearly state that this war is a major breach of trust that will take a long, long time to rebuild. Opsal understands Tromsø’s decision and believes others should consider the same. Photo: Jørn Inge Johansen / news Wants to withdraw border municipality from friendship agreements The Tromsø mayor explains that there are three factors in particular behind why they have now chosen to end the friendship agreement: Sabotage against the gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, observations of drones against Norwegian installations, and the the latest decision by the Norwegian authorities to deny Russian fishing vessels access to Norwegian ports with the exception of three. The decision should have nothing to do with the arrest of the man who is suspected of being a Russian spy. Tromsø municipality froze the friendship agreement when the war broke out: The newly elected mayoral candidate for Sør-Varanger Høyre, Magnus Mæland, will withdraw the border municipality from a number of friendship agreements. He thinks it is unnatural to be friends with several Russian cities. Mæland will withdraw Sør-Varanger from friendship agreements with Russian cities. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news Narvik: – Expecting debate Narvik mayor Rune Edvardsen (Ap) takes the call. He believes that the decision of Tromsø municipality is correct. – As the situation is now, it is probably somewhat in the cards that we will have to start acting in different ways, in different areas. – Do you expect unanimity in Narvik as well? – I expect debate, but I think it will probably be a large majority and perhaps unanimous. Tromsø has gone ahead, and I think they have paved the way for many others. It is completely right and appropriate to do so now, says Edvardsen about the decision to Tromsø municipality. Photo: Petter Strøm / news Hoping to take up the collaboration Sebastian Henriksen (H), has personal experience of the Norwegian-Russian friendship through sport. Har says that it is a clear signal that Tromsø is now canceling the agreement with the Russian twin cities. – Barents’ collaboration within sports and culture is over 50 years old. It has given many experiences and cooperation, many friends across borders and that is what people-to-people cooperation is in practice. Through sports I have had the opportunity to make Russian friends, compete against Russia, participate in sports events in the Barents, says Henriksen. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news Henriksen hopes that a time may come when there will be new friendship agreements with Russian cities. – I hope that when the war is over, when Putin has ended his horrible actions, that in the long term we can admit people to the people-to-people cooperation, says Henriksen. – Wise and correct decision Skjalg Fjellheim, political editor in Nordlys, has on several occasions advocated that the municipalities must abolish such agreements. – I think it is a wise and correct decision, a good signal from Tromsø that they do not accept this brutal warfare in Ukraine. There are agreements with Putin’s regime all over Russia, says Fjellheim about the friendship agreements. Photo: Ksenia Novikova / news He hopes that other northern Norwegian municipalities and counties with similar agreements will now follow Tromsø’s example. – What is so wrong with having these agreements? – In practice, it is support for Putin’s state apparatus. These are not agreements with the Russian people. Therefore, it is wrong, and therefore these agreements should be terminated.
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Concluded agreement with Russian twin cities after the Baltic Sea and drone flights – news Troms and Finnmark
