Nordic Council hosts Russian parliamentary visit

At the meeting, the Chair of the Nordic Council’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Christina Gestrin (Swedish People’s Party, Centre Group), stressed the importance of the close co-operation enjoyed by the Nordic countries and Russia with regard to the water treatment plant in St. Petersburg, but called for greater cohesion in relation to the one in Kaliningrad.

“Completion of the treatment plant in Kaliningrad, which is currently dogged by political reluctance and a lack of co-operation, is also hugely important. Every day the sewage of half a million people – 150,000 cubic metres – flows straight into the Baltic Sea,” says Gestrin.

She also stressed the importance of bringing soot particle emissions under control in the Barents Region within the framework of the Northern Dimension.

“Current dilapidated coal-fired power stations emit vast amounts of soot particles that we know accelerate climate change considerably. When these power stations are replaced, we should invest in renewable energy instead. This would reduce soot emissions by 800 tonnes a year,” says Gestrin, who is delighted that this subject also features on the Arctic Council’s agenda in April.

Concerns about foreign agent status

At the meeting with Russian MPs, Kimmo Sasi (National Coalition Party of Finland, Conservative Group) of the Nordic Council’s Presidium expressed concern over the foreign agent status imposed upon the Nordic Council of Ministers’ office in St. Petersburg by the Russian authorities. The Russian guests declined to comment. They were far more interested in discussing EU sanctions against Russia, however.

“The Nordic Council’s Finnish Delegation noted that Finland had been careful in its discussions in the EU about sanctions to make sure that they did not affect environmental projects, nuclear power and ongoing cross-border partnerships that touch on the lives of ordinary people,” Sasi points out.

The Nordic Council and Russian politicians and official agencies have maintained regular and active contact for many years. The Russian delegation was led by member of the State Duma, Olga Epifanova. The rest of the delegation consisted of representatives of PANWR (Parliamentary Assembly of Northwest Russia).