Barents+20

Challenged by rapid changes in their neighborhoods, Barents regional leaders should use the 20 years anniversary celebrations of the Barents Cooperation as an opportunity to reform the political cooperation structures. A five-point plan will help them on the way.

KIRKENES: “The global focus on the north pushes forward a need for more Barents Cooperation in the future”, says Rune Rafaelsen at the Norwegian Barents Secretariat. However, he sees the weakening of civil rights in Russia as a challenge in the years to come.

The Barents Co-operation will soon mark its 20th years anniversary.

Russia has since Vladimir Putin returned to Kremlin taken major steps away from the reforms once making the fundament for establishing the Barents cooperation. Regional cooperation across the borders is because of that even more important than ever, though politically more difficult.