SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND AT THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY SESSION OF THE PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY OF ÅLAND

As the Provincial Assembly of Åland today celebrates the 75th anniversary of its first plenary session, the Republic of Finland and the Province of Åland can look back on an eventful three-quarters of a century.

Having been part of the Kingdom of Sweden for 600 years and a Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire for over a century, Finland declared itself an independent republic 80 years ago. Thus we are now celebrating both the 80th anniversary of the Republic and the 75th anniversary of Åland's autonomy.

At the cost of some heavy sacrifices, Finland has succeeded in retaining the freedom and right to decide on its own future from the very beginnings of the fledgling republic right up to the present day. Finland is today a Member State of the European Union and a prosperous welfare state with close ties with its neighbour countries. Both the Republic and the Province have advanced with giant strides since the days when the issue of Åland was resolved by granting your Province autonomy.

The autonomous status of Åland is today so well-established that excellent relations with mainland Finland are taken as a matter of course. Although some disagreements and problems persist, no single conflict is so serious as to threaten either the autonomy of Åland or its language, customs or culture.

The changes that have taken place in the world around us during the quarter century following the 50th anniversary of Åland's autonomy in 1972 have been more dramatic than anyone could have dreamed of. Thanks to propitious circumstances and skilful policies, however, Åland has continued to strengthen its position. The Act on the Autonomy of Åland has been entirely rewritten twice, first in 1951 and again in 1991, after an extensive drafting process. The new Autonomy Act has already been amended twice, which goes to show how fast society changes.

The Autonomy Act is unique in more ways than one. Approved by both the Finnish Parliament and the Provincial Assembly of Åland, it cannot be repealed, amended or rewritten without the Assembly's express consent. The Provincial Assembly and the people of Åland have a degree of self-government unequalled elsewhere in the Republic of Finland. The Provincial Assembly has exercised this right with great circumspection and understanding in the best interests of the Ålanders, with due consideration for the status and special conditions of their island province. The Ålanders have indeed put their strengths to such good use that the contribution made by the islands in seafaring, ferry transport and tourism is of considerable importance for the national economy as a whole.

The Ålanders decided for themselves to join the European Union once it was clear that their Province could maintain its special status under international law, a status unique in the whole Union. Although the Province belongs to the Union, and Community law applies here, generous derogations have been granted to it in respect of sources of livelihood and land ownership.

At the time of joining the European Union, the Province obtained representation on the national EU-policy bodies, and the President of the Provincial Government gained attendance in the Cabinet Committee for EU Affairs. The Republic, however, represents the Province in matters of foreign policy. Considering the size of the administrative machinery involved, there is every reason for monitoring the system closely; after all, both the Finnish Parliament and the Åland Provincial Assembly have ceded a certain amount of legislative power to the European Union. The Finnish Government must therefore see that the Province has a real say in matters which come under its jurisdiction under the Autonomy Act.

The derogations negotiated by Finland for Åland in the course of the membership negotiations show, however, that the spirit and letter of Åland's autonomy have been upheld. Åland was a party to the negotiating process, and successfully defended its wish to safeguard its transport privileges. The Province's choice to remain outside the Community's common customs area, however, has – as we all know – involved both advantages and disadvantages.

There is something of an inherent contradiction between integration and autonomy, two forces that sometimes pull in opposite directions. The division of authority between the Republic and the Province in EU matters may also occasionally give rise to problems. Fishing is a source of frequent conflicts within the EU, and appears to be a sensitive issue for us, too. On the whole, however, I believe that Åland's arrangement with the Union is a good one, and that any lingering difficulties can be resolved.

The consensus policy pursued in relations between Åland and mainland Finland in the postwar period has proved fruitful. I am convinced that we should continue along the same lines. The international interest evinced in the 'Åland model' is of great value to both Åland and Finland at large, and well worth fostering in the future.

As I have stated on many occasions, our country has valuable experience in dealing with minority affairs, particularly given as we have been able to solve our problems on our own. In a speech to the parliamentarians of the Council of Europe in January 1996, I pointed out that Finland had been able to solve the Åland question by guaranteeing extensive autonomy to the Islands, and events have proved that solution viable.

Åland's special status is attracting growing international interest. The League of Nations decision on the autonomy, demilitarization and neutrality of Åland still offers a prime example of how minority conflicts can be defused by peaceable means in an otherwise so troubled world.

The President of the Republic acts in a supervising capacity as the guarantor of Åland's autonomy. The need for supervision has decreased now that the system is so well established. Åland's autonomy is built on a solid legislative foundation, and the President rarely has any reason to interfere in matters of self-government. The President's role as a guarantor could become important, however, if any disruption were to occur in our security environment.

Greater freedom means greater responsibility. A new dimension of this is the responsibility of the EU Member States to ensure that national legislation meets the demands of Community law. Conversely, the responsibility for implementing Community directives in the laws of Åland rests ultimately with the Provincial Assembly. This is not exclusively a question of relations between the Province of Åland, the Republic of Finland and the European Union, but also of the right of private citizens and corporations to enjoy the protection of the law.

A healthy economy of course forms the foundation of every society. A difficult question, and one that has given rise to some controversy, is how to develop economic relations between Åland and mainland Finland. Whether Åland should be granted the full or partial right to levy taxes autonomously has been discussed for many years, but the time is not yet ripe for a decision. Personally I think that we would be well-advised to wait and see how the current system of revenue equalization in the EU functions and in what direction it develops. Taxation is not purely an economic issue; it also affects the relations between the Province and the Republic on a more general level. The question is how mainland Finland will come to Åland's aid in the event of an economic crisis; and, conversely, on how much the Province will contribute to the whole country's common expenses.

Economic relations thus have an impact on solidarity between Åland and mainland Finland. Solidarity is in fact a topic which I am happy to have the opportunity to raise on this special occasion. The discussion of matters of common interest, emphasizing solidarity in the positive sense of the word, is ever more important as Åland's autonomy evolves further in the future. It would be disquieting indeed if the cultural ties between Åland and Finland were to weaken.

We must increase the Finns' awareness of the history, special international status, culture and customs of Åland. Equally important, we must make sure that the Ålanders are familiar with the mainland. Only thus can we further improve our good relations, and only thus can Åland serve as a valuable cultural link between Finland and the rest of the world. It is also vital that the civil service of Åland should be well-versed in Finnish administrative and legislative affairs.

Environmental issues are at least as important as cultural and economic matters. The beautiful, well-tended landscapes of Åland are a source of pure joy to the visitor, and nowhere else in the world is there a magnificent archipelago such as yours. You have been entrusted with a precious heritage, and I have every confidence in your ability to cherish and keep it well. Indeed, it is to the credit of Åland's autonomy that your island heritage has been preserved as proudly as it has. Preserving the island way of life remains a difficult challenge, however.

The alarming state of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland is another cause for common concern. The Ålanders are well aware of the dangers associated with pollution in this almost landlocked sea. I urge all those concerned to redouble their efforts to avert this grave ecological threat.

As we are here to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Åland's autonomy, however, let me put these cares aside and conclude by saying that the present problems are finally very minor compared with the conflicts that were resolved 75 years ago. Let us rejoice in the solid foundation that was laid at that time. Any further high-flown words would be superfluous. In a word, things are looking good.

I congratulate the Provincial Assembly of Åland on this auspicious day, and wish the people of Åland and their representatives a happy future.