Finnmark Act approved in Norway

Justice Minister Odd Einar Dørum and Saami parliament president Sven-Roald Nystø signed the Finnmark Act this week in Karasjok, Norway. The Norwegian Finnmark Law gives up Norway’s ownership over an area comparable with the size of Denmark.

The area, which today is 96 per cent owned by the state, will from 2007 be transferred to a new institution, which is governed by the three representatives of the Saami Parliament, the Samidiggi, and three representatives of the northern counties.

The law has been in the works for the last 30 years. The sitting Norwegian government reached a compromise on the law with the opposition Labour Party.