Alexander Stubb, famous in the Barents Region for branding the north as the world´s most sexy region, is put on track to take over after Jyrki Katainen.
Oslo asks Moscow for an explanation after BarentsObserver earlier today reported that Russia’s sanctioned Deputy Prime Minister suddenly appeared on Svalbard.
Conservative leader Erna Solberg forms a minority government with the Progress party with parliament backing from the Liberals and Christian Democrats based on an agreement not to open for controversial Arctic oil drilling.
-Russians are welcome to Norway, the Norwegian Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion said when presenting the new Norwegian white paper on work immigration today. The new Norwegian legislation might mark a historic point in Norwegian-Russian cross-border relations
It would be in the West’s interest to include Russia in its political, economic and security plans, researcher Michael Emerson from the Centre for European Policy Studies writes in a new paper. He believes the next EU-Russia treaty should include emphasis on visa-free travel, free trade in goods and services, as well as rules relating to energy investments
Norwegian PM Jens Stoltenberg says he is proud about what his government has achieved in the High North. He underlines that the High North focus now will be reflected in national infrastructure plans.
President Dmitry Medvedev today came to Petrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia, where he chaired a session in the State Council. He also met with regional Governor Sergey Katanandov.
A court in Arkhangelsk this week announced that election results from two polling stations in this May’s local city mayor’s elections were incorrect, but left the overall election results undisputed. Election loser Tatiana Bazanova now says she will bring her case to an international court.
In their meeting with Arkhangelsk Governor Ilya Mikhalchuk this week, representatives of the Nordic Council highlighted the importance of a continued strengthening of cross-border cooperation. Governor Mikhalchuk on his side stressed the joint interests of the parties.
Larisa Bazanova, the opposition leader who sued the Arkhangelsk Election Commission in the wake of the May 25 local city mayor’s elections, has lost her appeal case in the Arkhangelsk regional court.
The Russian government is increasing state ownership stakes in all sectors of the Russian economy, but still underlines that it has no plans to change its economic policy or nationalize large parts of the economy. Also in Norway, the government is increasing its ownership in companies, among them energy giant StatoilHydro.
The new EU Communication on the Arctic downplays potential security challenges in the Arctic and instead highlights the importance of stability, cooperation and a sustainable marine environment, Gunnar Sander from the European Environmental Agency said at a conference in Kirkenes, Norway, today.
