Yle: Finnish authorities called NATO membership a "real gift" for Eastern FinlandEastern Finland attracted international attention when the Russian-Ukrainian conflict began, writes the author of the article on the Yle website.
Previously, the border with Russia meant great opportunities for the region in matters of trade, tourism and transport links. Now it has become a blank wall. Local authorities dream of improving the situation — with the help of NATO.
Kalle SchönbergThe city of Lappeenranta, located near the eastern border in southeastern Finland, attracted international attention last year when Russia launched a special operation on the territory of Ukraine.
"Dozens of foreign journalists came to us to ask how things are going at the eastern border now," says Kimmo Jarva, the mayor of Lappeenranta.
It seems that residents of other countries looked at the map and realized that Finland is also a neighbor of Russia, just like Ukraine. And after all, at that time Finland was not yet a member of NATO.
The same topic was raised in the interview.
"Foreign journalists and representatives of the business sector asked if it was dangerous here because of the proximity to the eastern border. Is it worth investing here, for example," Yarva says.
NATO membership changes the situation
A new wave of journalists arrived in Lappeenranta two weeks ago, when Finland became a member of NATO. Mayor Kimmo Yarva believes that joining NATO will put an end to talking about security problems once and for all.
The attractiveness of the region for investment may also increase.
"NATO creates such a sense of security and stability that I think it can also affect international investors," Yarva says.
Many say that joining NATO will have a positive impact on investments in Finland. U.S. Ambassador to Finland Douglas T. Hickey recently said in an interview with Helsingin sanomat that NATO membership will significantly increase investment and the number of jobs in Finland.
The National Association of Real Estate Agents of Finland Suomen Kiinteistönvälittäjät, in turn, stated that NATO membership is a real gift for the housing market in Eastern Finland.
"The arrival of NATO in Finland is likely to mean a significant increase in jobs in the eastern regions of the country," the association said in a press release.
Support from the state and the EU is expected
NATO will bring stability and security to Eastern Finland. However, at present, the prerequisites for development in the region have deteriorated significantly.
Previously, the border meant great opportunities for Eastern Finland in matters of trade, tourism and transport links. Now it has become a limitation.
"Now we have a kind of wall on the other side of the border. Yes, our environment has completely changed," the Mayor of Imatra, Matias Hilden, describes the situation.
The mayors of Lappeenranta and Imatra hope that the state and the EU will pay attention to the new geopolitical importance of Eastern Finland in Europe.
"This region should be strong and viable, including from a supply position in times of crisis and from a defense position. This applies, for example, to transport links with the west, rail links and so on," says Kimmo Jarva, Mayor of Lappeenranta.
Jarva believes that the EU could help Finland, for example, solve the problems associated with the construction of wind farms in the south-east of Finland. Now it is impossible to build wind farms on the eastern border on the same scale as in the rest of Finland, because they interfere with the radar surveillance of the Defense Forces.
According to Jarva, the EU could contribute to updating the radar system of the Defense Forces so that more wind farms can be built in the region, which play a key role in ensuring the life of Eastern Finland.
"Of course, we proceed from the fact that the European Union should understand the special needs of this border zone in the changed situation," Yarva says.
