Russia’s Violations of Norwegian and Allied Airspace: “Sign of Desperation,” Says Professor Russia has violated Norway's airspace in the North three times this year, as well as the airspace of several other NATO countries. This suggests that the war in Ukraine is going much worse than Moscow wants to admit, says Professor Tormod Heier at the Norwegian Defense University College.
Strengthens the Monitoring of GPS Interference in the High North The Norwegian government is establishing a new office for the Norwegian Communications Authority in Tromsø, Northern Norway. "It is important to strengthen security and preparedness in the High North through the increased presence of the authorities," says the Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance.
Norway Establishes New Brigade in the North The Finnmark Land Defense on NATO’s northern flank has now been developed into the Finnmark Brigade, Norway’s first new brigade since the Cold War. "The aim is to deter those who do not wish us well," says the Norwegian Minister of Defense.
Mining in Northern Norway Started Ahead of Schedule - Then Put on Hold On June 16th, Canadian Blue Moon Metals announced that it had started underground construction of the Nussir mine in Finnmark and thereby completed its first blast ahead of schedule. Shortly after, all operations were paused until further notice.
The Border Municipality Is Fighting for Its Existence: “Anything Is Better Than Nothing” Kirkenes, Northern Norway (High North News): While the Norwegian government is rearming in the North and announcing increased military activity, local businesses are disappearing, and the population is declining, while top politicians are being flown in and out of the region with vague and sweet promises. "We do not need symbolic diplomacy," says the Mayor of Sør-Varanger municipality, that borders to Russia.
A Good Tax Proposal Which Should Also Be Used Where It Is Most Urgently Needed Comment: Norway's Minister of Finance utilizes tax measures to get more young people into work. Through a raffle, he aims to test the impact of tax reliefs on those outside the workforce. It is a good proposal and should also be applied to other vulnerable groups.
Canadian Company to Acquire Ownership in Two North Norwegian Mining Companies Blue Moon Metals acquires all the shares in the Northern Norwegian mining companies Nye Sulitjelma Gruver and Nussir. "This is big news," says general manager Størker Bjørnstad of Nye Sulitjelma Gruver to HNN.
Stops Registering GPS Disruptions in Finnmark, Northern Norway The jamming of GPS signals is now so recurring in Finnmark, Northern Norway, that the national authorities no longer want to be notified. It has become the new normal.
Forget About Switzerland. Finnmark Can Become the Next Tax Haven. Comment (Alta, Northern Norway): In a few months, we will have the answer to how much it will cost to stop the flight of people from Finnmark, Northern Norway. A cross-political majority will make sure of that. The Chair of the County Government, Hans-Jacob Bønå (Conservatives, is spearheading an examination of a new tax model for parts of the Arctic and the High North.
Russia's War Against Ukraine Has Divided Norway in Two Comment: Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine has divided Norway in two. For us who live in the High North, the war is a neighbor. In the civilian part of Nordic politics, there is hardly any trace of this recognition.
The Sami Council Is Considering Legal Action in the Melkøya Case The Norwegian state's decision to electrify the island of Melkøya may end up in court. The Sami Parliament Council will ask for extended authorization to consider legal action in the case of the electrification of the LNG plant in Finnmark, Northern Norway.
Bonus Binge in Statkraft the Size of Finnmark’s Entire Tax Revenue Commentary: State-owned Statkraft has paid its employees NOK 1,8 billion in bonuses. Far enough to cover the tax revenues of all municipalities in Finnmark in Northern Norway. If we add the bonuses in DNB and Petter Stordalen's tax-free dividends to the mix, we will be on target with good margins.
Norwegian PM Støre: Important to Be a Neighbor That Does Not Offer Surprises Kirkenes (High North News): "I am concerned with us sticking to deterrence and reassurance. Some say we must stop reassuring, but I profoundly disagree," said Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre during the Kirkenes Conference in Northern Norway.
Life on the Arctic Coast: “Challenging to Get Hold of Labor in the Fisheries Industry” There is practically a queue to work on the fishing boats in the fisheries group Nergård. In the land industry, the situation is the opposite, and the company is struggling to find people with the right expertise. CEO Torvanger believes the government should implement necessary measures to make living along the coast of Northern Norway attractive.
Perhaps More People Will Fathom the Severity of the Situation As Putin Displays His Nuclear Briefcase Commentary: The images of two Russian officers carrying the briefcases that could ignite a nuclear war have been etched into my brain as I drive along the border with Russia. The briefcase is in China with Vladimir Putin. The nuclear bombs are only a few kilometers away.
“We Need to Continue Directing the Public Focus Northward” Through many years of work in Eastern Europe, Ingrid Vik observed that people are moving away with the feeling of "the future" being elsewhere. In her new book, she takes a closer look at the Norwegian reality in small towns and districts. She believes that the depopulation, particularly affecting Finnmark, is escalating and dangerous to us as a society.
Norwegian-Russian Summit in the Arctic This week, the Chief of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters met with the Chief of the Russian FSB's Border Directorate for the Western Arctic Region. "These meetings are important to discuss challenges and to agree on joint objectives and necessary measures on border and rescue cooperation, as well as fishery management," says Lt. General Odlo.
Can a Finnmark Power Package Full of Paradoxes Still Be a Good Idea? Commentary: I have lived a long life within political journalism but have never seen a political construction similar to the power package the government served Finnmark and Northern Norway the other day. An act full of absurdities and paradoxes, but not without significance for the region.
Norwegian Government Approves Electrification of Melkøya LNG Plant in Northern Norway The Norwegian government favors electrifying Equinor's LNG plant on Melkøya outside Hammerfest. At the same time, a plan for significant expansion of power generation and grids in Norway's northernmost region is being launched.
Perhaps We Should Grow Bananas Along Our Border With Russia? (Commentary) Norway is to be resurrected as an industrial nation. But which industries we should venture into, and why, is not easy to see. Soon, there will be only banana producers who have not knocked on the Norwegian Ministry of Finance's door, in the hunt for green subsidies.
Energy CEO in Finnmark: We Will Not Be Able to Establish Businesses and Industry The energy situation in Eastern Finnmark: "This is serious. As long as we do not have the grid capacity to develop anything here, people will relocate. Then there will be no jobs and development," says CEO Terje Skansen of Varanger Kraft.
Sharp Decrease in Heavy Metals in Norwegian-Russian Border River The content of the three heavy metals nickel, cadmium, and copper in the Pasvik River in Eastern Finnmark, Northern Norway, was reduced by as much as 70-80 percent in 2021, compared to the last five years before the smelting plant in Nikel, Russia, was closed.
Norwegian Army Practicing Sharpshooting in the High North This week, the Norwegian Army’s sharpshooting exercise Thunderbolt takes place in Finnmark, Norway. Similar exercise activity was recently conducted in Troms with British participation.
Finnmark Hydrogen Project Receives Almost NOK 0.5 Billion From Norwegian Government The Barents Blue project of Horisont Energi in Hammerfest, Northern Norway, is one out of three major hydrogen projects receiving a total of NOK 1 billion in support from the Norwegian state through its Enova innovation enterprise.
“The High North Needs Young People Who Can Contribute to Increasing Birth Figures” “Measures like the ones taken in Russia are one possible way of solving this, however, our main argument is that it also matters whom you attract”, says Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen, partner at Menon Economics.
Still Waiting for Sydvaranger Mine Decision Sydvaranger Mine is working on re-establishing mining operations. However, it is not yet clear when the new North American owners will make a decision about commencing the project.
Major Chlorine Emission at Salmon Harvest Plant in Arctic Norway 15,000 liters of chlorine have reportedly leaked out into the ocean at a salmon harvest plant in Alta, Northern Norway.
The High North Tour 2021: The Police Chief by the Russian Border Utnes, Pasvik: Police Chief Ellen Katrine Hætta in Finnmark leads a very special police district. It is Norway’s second largest police district, but also the one with the fewest inhabitants. And it borders on Russia.
Nussir Signs Billion Deal with LNS The Norwegian mining company Nussir ASA has selected Leonard Nilsen & Sons (LNS) to be the contractor for mine construction and underground operations. The contract negotiations are expected to be finalized in shortly.
GPS Jamming Still Causing Problems in Finnmark “This has been going on for so many years now that I believe this is a part of the new ‘normal’ and we have to prepare for it”, says District Police Chief Ellen Katrine Hætta.
Nussir Hopes to Commence Mining in 2020 “We have been visionary. The preparations for this construction were already funded before the pandemic hit. What we are curious to see now, is how fast the capital markets are normalized”, says Managing Director Øystein Rushfeldt of Nussir ASA to High North News.
The Police had to Go to the Media Before the National Police Directorate Understood the Gravity of GPS Jamming Against Norway “In our experience, it is a long way from Oslo to Finnmark”, says Finnmark Police Chief Ellen Katrine Hætta. When she warned against GPS jamming against Norway in 2017, there was no response from the National Police Directorate. Only when the issue hit the media did Finnmark receive assistance.
Up, close and spectacular – Giving New Life to Old Forefathers The images of our forefathers exist, however, not in colors. To photo artist Per Ivar Somby of 'Colour my past', the adventure started when he set out to color his Sami great-grandfather Clemet Gundersen from Kautokeino, Norway.
