By Jackie Northam • Jan 18, 2020 . “It really shows that China wants to be taken seriously as an Arctic player.”. His aspirations may sound wildly high: “Our plan is that you should [have] 10 trains from Kirkenes every day … and we should handle about 1 million containers [per year],” he says. It emphasized the region's strategic economic importance — calling China a "Near-Arctic State" — and elaborated on a plan to include a "Polar Silk Road" in its broad Belt and Road Initiative to build trade links across several continents. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. now He is the mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the far northeast corner of Norway, close to the Russian border. His office is in the small town Kirkenes — … About a year ago, the Chinese government launched an Arctic white paper, considered its first formal articulation of policies for the region. And the ice is decreasing. “China is a new player,” Rune Rafaelsen, the mayor of Sør-Varanger, a municipality in the far northeast corner of Norway, told Media. It emphasized the region’s strategic economic importance — calling China a “Near-Arctic State” — and elaborated on a plan to include a “Polar Silk Road” in its broad Belt and Road Initiative to build trade links across several continents. The voice of a priest, Torbjørn Brox Webber, can be heard from the high podium: "God, thou, who created us differently, as colours in the rainbow," began the reverend father of a Lutheran church. "And so many people [in the Arctic] are looking at China as a potential source of cash, of investment capital.". "Western Arctic countries have had a lot of trouble for generations now funding northern development," he says. Melting ice means ships are plowing along polar lanes, so Rune Rafaelsen wants Chinese investors to help turn the small town of Kirkenes into a major logistics hub. Barents Spektakel will give Wong Kar-wai vibes to Kirkenes for just five days, but there is long-term potential for Chinese impact, too. Rune Rafalesen, Mayor of Kirkenes in Arctic Norway, delivers a speech in Nikel. A rail line could harm their livelihoods and culture, Sami leaders and the working group said. By Jackie Northam • Jan 18, 2020 . The polar region has few ports, roads and railway links, according to Adam Lajeunesse, a researcher who focuses on Arctic marine security and teaches at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada. His office is in the small town Kirkenes — … Rune Rafaelsen walks toward the harbor of Kirkenes, Norway. The mayor of the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes, Linda Beate Randal, has written a letter to the Norwegian Foreign Minister asking him to ease the visa application prosess for Nikel citizens and opening a Norwegian consulate office in the Russian border town. But a Norwegian news website, the Independent Barents Observer, in June 2019 cited an executive at China Ocean Shipping Co. who sounded optimistic about Kirkenes. “Now you can go from Asia to Europe through the Northern Sea Route. “But when the ice is decreasing, you can go from Asia to Europe through the Northern Sea Route and my town Kirkenes is the first western harbor you meet when you start out from Shanghai and go along the Russian sub-Siberian coast. His office is in the small town Kirkenes — … “The issue here is population, especially in the eastern part of northern Norway,” Stokvik says. China is “starting to open to the possibility of expanded shipping throughout the Arctic,” says Marc Lanteigne, who teaches political science at Norway’s University of Tromso. But a Norwegian news website, the Independent Barents Observer, in June 2019 cited an executive at China Ocean Shipping Co. who sounded optimistic about Kirkenes. Norwegians who worked in Murmansk were contacted as potential informants for the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST). The Norwegian government drew up a concept study for a mega-port for the area. That idea is on hold amid doubts that there would be enough cargo to warrant the cost. A Mayor In Norway's Arctic Looks To China To Reinvent His Frontier Town . Kirkenes residents have long decried what they’ve described as “Soviet death clouds” emanating from the company’s operations and blowing across the border. “Western Arctic countries have had a lot of trouble for generations now funding northern development,” he says. “We need jobs — we need the youth to stay, not going away.”. "We need jobs — we need the youth to stay, not going away.". Sør-Varanger Mayor Cecilie Hansen says enough is … “Kirkenes is a Russian town in Norway,” said Rune Rafaelsen, the mayor of Soer-Varanger municipality which includes Kirkenes. “They are interested to see if this is possible.”. The Mayor of South Varanger responded to what he thought was a dangerous practice. Kirkenes Harbor is currently quiet, but the mayor hopes to build it into a logistical hub 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Born and bred in Kirkenes, the mayor — a member of Norway's Labor Party — is a die-hard booster of his town, and he has been looking elsewhere for investors. But Thomas Nilsen, a journalist who covers Arctic issues for the Independent Barents Observer, says he doesn’t see Kirkenes ever becoming the new Singapore. Travelers can jump on the Hurtigruten, a popular coastal cruiser that meanders through fjords down to Norway’s southern city of Bergen. Get local stories on politics, education, health, environment, the border and more. While the melting sea ice has alarmed scientists and residents, newly accessible waterways mean commercial ships are increasingly plowing along polar lanes. However, after taking the town of Kirkenes on 25 October 1944 (as the first town in Norway), the Red Army did not attempt further offensives in Norway. That's the best," he says. 24 Oct 2019. hopes to build it into a logistical hub 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle Heading the Fylkesting is the county mayor (fylkesordførar). Kirkenes Harbor is currently quiet, but the mayor hopes to build it into a logistical hub 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere on the planet. Kirkenes' economy has traditionally relied on fishing and iron-ore mining, and it has become a tourist destination. His municipality signed a friendship agreement with the city of Harbin, in northern China. Still, Rafaelsen believes it is only a matter of time before investors will want to help him realize his dream of building a hub for the Arctic. There has also been pushback from the Sami, an indigenous people who herd reindeer across northern Finland. Kirkenes Mayor Rune Rafaelsen. China is "starting to open to the possibility of expanded shipping throughout the Arctic," says Marc Lanteigne, who teaches political science at Norway's University of Tromso. The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere on the planet. Rune Rafaelsen, the Kirkenes mayor, and other parishioners are in the pews singing prayers along to the organ music. Mayor. Rune Rafaelsen walks toward the harbor of Kirkenes, Norway. The voice of a priest, Torbjørn Brox Webber, can be heard from the high podium: "God, thou, who created us differently, as colours in the rainbow," began the reverend father of a Lutheran church. An Arctic railway, meanwhile, would need buy-in from the Norwegian and Finnish governments. Information, download Experts also see infrastructural needs in the area. Melting ice means ships are plowing along polar lanes, so Rune Rafaelsen wants Chinese investors to help turn the small town of Kirkenes into a major logistics hub. Claire Harbage / NPR Kirkenes' economy has traditionally relied on fishing and iron-ore mining, and it has become a tourist destination. But doubters abound. That could place NATO ally Norway on the map of China's "Polar Silk Road" plan for ships voyaging across the Arctic — if Rafaelsen's port and rail dream ever comes true. In 1814, after Norway and Denmark lost the war against Sweden, the two countries entered into a personal union with their victorious neighbour. About a year ago, the Chinese government launched an Arctic white paper, considered its first formal articulation of policies for the region. He is the mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the far northeast corner of Norway, close to the Russian border. With the Frode Berg case as a backdrop, Mayor Rune Rafaelsen of Arbeiderpartiet (Ap) spoke of events he took up eight to nine years ago. His office is in the small town Kirkenes — population a little over 3,500 — which overlooks the icy gray Barents Sea. Border mayor urges minister to address cross-border air pollution “Pollution from Nikel must stop,” says Kirkenes-Mayor Rune Rafaelsen and suggests traveling together with Norway’s Minister of Environment to Moscow to solve the problem. Share Tweet Email Tweet Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. “I have promoted it a lot in China, and the Chinese [have] been here to look at the possibility,” he says. That idea is on hold amid doubts that there would be enough cargo to warrant the cost. Kirkenes, Norway. The Norwegian government drew up a concept study for a mega-port for the area. Yet some Norwegian businesses say they're on board. (Thomas Nilsen/The Independent Barents Observer) The current Kirkenes Mayor, Rune Rafaelsen, says … Rune Rafaelsen, mayor of Kirkenes, in Arctic Norway. He envisions building a massive new container terminal and a 300-mile railway to the city of Rovaniemi in neighboring Finland, which would key to moving cargo into Western Europe. To view PDF documents, Download Acrobat Reader. "The issue here is population, especially in the eastern part of northern Norway," Stokvik says. You can see the sun all 24 hours.”. Rafaelsen says a logistical hub would provide a huge boost for Kirkenes' economy. Born and bred in Kirkenes, the mayor — a member of Norway's Labor Party — is a die-hard booster of his town, and he has been looking elsewhere for investors. (Photo: sverigesradio.se) “We need to act, otherwise we should apply direct influence to the owners of the company,” Rafaelsen said in an interview late last week with Bellona. His office is in the small town Kirkenes — … “Kirkenes is a Russian town in Norway,” said Rune Rafaelsen, the mayor of Soer-Varanger municipality which includes Kirkenes. Rafaelsen’s infrastructure plan has backing from some businesses in the area. LATEST UPDATES: Tracking COVID-19 | Racial Justice. “I have promoted it a lot in China, and the Chinese [have] been here to look at the possibility,” he says. The municipality has given a green light for a new, bigger harbor, but it doesn’t have the money to build it. "It really shows that China wants to be taken seriously as an Arctic player.". To leverage this, Rafaelsen wants to turn his tiny town into a major logistical hub, including a massive port and train line to Finland. Sydvaranger Mine could be imposed on a new tax if the mayor of Sør-Varanger is heard by the Governemt. “We are responding to the fact that the economic centre of the world, which has for hundreds of years been Europe and the US, in the near future will shift towards Southeast Asia,” he … июля 14, 2016 . (Claire Harbage/NPR) The lack of interest and financing have done little to dampen Rafaelsen's enthusiasm. Yet some Norwegian businesses say they’re on board. Kirkenes Mayor Rune Rafaelsen. + Subscribe to our podcasts. New episodes are ready weekday mornings. Rune Rafaelsen, mayor of Kirkenes, in Arctic Norway. But it’s engaged people. Rafaelsen has visited China several times to meet with government officials and business people, hoping to build interest in a Norwegian logistical hub. When war was over, more than 70,000 people were left homeless in Finnmark. Looking out across a foggy harbor toward a peninsula jutting off the Norwegian coast, Rune Rafaelsen has a bold plan that could raise the profile of his remote Arctic town — with a little help, he hopes, from China. Want more KPBS news?Find us on Twitter and Facebook, or sign up for our newsletters. // NPR, Claire Harbage NPR has contacted the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. about its Arctic strategies but it did not immediately provide comment for this special series. A binational working group study concluded in late 2018 that the project, estimated to cost more than $3 billion, will not be "financially feasible.". Photo: Jonas Karlsbakk (Photo: Jonas Karlsbakk) Mining industry invests heavily in the border town of Kirkenes, but for the municipality board there are more costs and too little income from mining. The county also has a County Governor (fylkesmann) who is the representative of the King and Government of Norway. (Photo: sverigesradio.se) “We need to act, otherwise we should apply direct influence to the owners of the company,” Rafaelsen said in an interview late last week with Bellona. “In the summer I first arrived with Bellona on an electric car from to Murmansk from Kirkenes, I promised that by the end of the year we would build a fast charging station in Kirkenes,” he said. Rafaelsen is the mayor of a municipality including this town of about 3,500 people in the far northeastern corner of Norway, close to the Russian border. Rune Rafaelsen, the Kirkenes mayor, and other parishioners are in the pews singing prayers along to the organ music. Kirkenes' Samovar theatre company performs in both Norway and Russia, and has Russian and Norwegians employees. "I have promoted it a lot in China, and the Chinese [have] been here to look at the possibility," he says. This past June, on a cold and blustery day, I listened to Rune Rafaelsen, the outspoken Mayor of the Sør-Varanger municipality in which Kirkenes is located, run through the history of the complex borders in the place in which he was born and raised. "They are interested to see if this is possible." In addition Widerøe uses the airport as a hub to regional airports throughout Finnmark. A rail line could harm their livelihoods and culture, Sami leaders and the working group said. The municipality has given a green light for a new, bigger harbor, but it doesn't have the money to build it. He is the mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the far northeast corner of Norway, close to the Russian border. You can see the sun all 24 hours.". Rafaelsen loves the view: “It’s a very nice view, especially in the summer when you have the midnight sun is not going down in the horizon. But he thinks there’s more than that on the horizon. Rafaelsen loves the view: "It's a very nice view, especially in the summer when you have the midnight sun is not going down in the horizon. Travelers can jump on the Hurtigruten, a popular coastal cruiser that meanders through fjords down to Norway's southern city of Bergen. Reuters/Maxim Shemetov Rafaelsen speaks to journalists. • Mayor (2015) Monica Nielsen : Area • Total: 3,849.47 km 2 (1,486.29 sq mi) • Land: 3,652.76 km 2 (1,410.34 sq ... Tromsø, Vadsø, and Kirkenes. But Rafaelsen says not everyone in town was happy with the festival’s theme. In February 2019, the Norwegian town's annual winter festival was themed "The World's Northernmost Chinatown." Photo: Thomas Nilsen. He is the mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the far northeast corner of Norway, close to the Russian border. He is the mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the far northeast corner of Norway, close to the Russian border. "If there would be a railway between Rovaniemi and Kirkenes, then Kirkenes would be a gateway for those products from Finland and to somewhere far east," Chen Feng, COSCO's general director of marketing and sales, told the website. In Kirkenes and Lapland, regional politicians have hoped that such a railway would spur economic growth, more infrastructure and create jobs. And so Kirkenes is the first western harbor you meet when you start from Shanghai and go along the Russian sub-Siberian coast," says Rafaelsen. "People get angry. The polar region has few ports, roads and railway links, according to Adam Lajeunesse, a researcher who focuses on Arctic marine security and teaches at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Born and bred in Kirkenes, the mayor — a member of Norway's Labor Party — is a die-hard booster of his town, and he has been looking elsewhere for investors. Located 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) west of Kirkenes, at Høybuktmoen, the airport has a 2,115-meter (6,939 ft) long runway which allows Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle to operate direct flights to Oslo. "They are interested to see if this is possible.". He envisions building a massive new container terminal and a 300-mile railway to the city of Rovaniemi in neighboring Finland, which would key to moving cargo into Western Europe. A Mayor In Norway's Arctic Looks To China To Reinvent His Frontier Town . The mayor of Sør-Varanger admits he usually don’t need help to be seen or heard. Kirkenes Harbor is currently quiet, but the mayor hopes to build it into a logistical hub 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Mayors (ordfører) of Sør-Varanger include Cecilie Hansen (2011—2015) of the Centre Party. That’s the best,” he says. Kirkenes Harbor is currently quiet, but the mayor hopes to build it into a logistical hub 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. “People get angry. (Claire Harbage/NPR) (The price tag is unclear.) An Arctic railway, meanwhile, would need buy-in from the Norwegian and Finnish governments. Experts also see infrastructural needs in the area. Born and bred in Kirkenes, the mayor — a member of Norway’s Labor Party — is a die-hard booster of his town, and he has been looking elsewhere for investors. He is the mayor of Kirkenes, a town in northeastern Norway that lies just a short distance from some of Norilsk Nickel’s operations on Russia’s Kola Peninsula. "I have promoted it a lot in China, and the Chinese [have] been here to look at the possibility," he says. But he thinks there's more than that on the horizon. Russian choreographer Nikolai Shchetnev feels at home and is thinking of applying for dual nationality. Slideshow ( 36 images ) Transportation. He is the mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the far northeast corner of Norway, close to the Russian border. In Kirkenes and Lapland, regional politicians have hoped that such a railway would spur economic growth, more infrastructure and create jobs. The mayor of the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes, Linda Beate Randal, has written a letter to the Norwegian Foreign Minister, asking him to ease the visa application prosess for Nikel citizens by opening a Norwegian consulate office in the Russian border town. Kirkenes Harbor is currently quiet, but the mayor hopes to build it into a logistical hub 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. KIRKENES: Russia’s metal-giant in Nikel is notoriously violating the maximum allowed limits for air quality on the Norwegian side of the border. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. He is the mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the far northeast corner of Norway, close to the Russian border. But It Has The Rare Earth Minerals America Wants, California Sees Two-Day Record Of Coronavirus Deaths, California Suspends 1.4 Million Virus Unemployment Claims, California Hospitals Prepping For Grim COVID-19 Choices, Young Scientsists: The Human Body Virtual Program, Live Blog: San Diego County Reports 3,815 New COVID-19 Infections As Hospitalizations Increase, San Diego County Opening Regional COVID-19 'Vaccination Pods', San Diego County Reports 3,013 New COVID-19 Cases, Six Deaths, San Diego County Officials Push People To Use New Small Business Relief Program, County Reports 56 Deaths, Hospitalizations Surge As COVID-19 Variant Spreads, KPBS Financial Get the day's top news — ranging from local to international — straight to your inbox each weekday morning. But Thomas Nilsen, a journalist who covers Arctic issues for the Independent Barents Observer, says he doesn't see Kirkenes ever becoming the new Singapore. Kirkenes Harbor is currently quiet, but the mayor hopes to build it into a logistical hub 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. «Just 50 km from here there are thousands of spent nuclear fuel elements,» says Kirkenes town Mayor Rune Rafaelsen. Local mayors want tax from mining. Kirkenes was festooned with red lanterns and the Chinese ambassador to Norway paid a visit. Looking out across a foggy harbor toward a peninsula jutting off the Norwegian coast, Rune Rafaelsen has a bold plan that could raise the profile of his remote Arctic town — with a little help, he hopes, from China. Deputy Mayor of Kirkenes, Pål Gabrielsen, supports a new railway, but said during the debate that he is … Earlier this year, the Mayor brought a visiting delegation to a local factory producing special lights for industry and airplanes. Now they think Kirkenes should not be Chinese at all. Soer-Varanger Municipality Mayor Rune Rafaelsen during an event marking 75 years since the liberation of northern Norway from Nazi German forces by Soviet troops in World War I. Alexander... Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images China-friendly mayor It is music in the ears of local Kirkenes town Mayor Rune Rafaelsen, who is devoting great time and effort to see the project through. Rune Rafaelsen is Mayor of Kirkenes. The lack of interest and financing have done little to dampen Rafaelsen’s enthusiasm. Copyright 2020 NPR. (The price tag is unclear.) In February 2019, the Norwegian town’s annual winter festival was themed “The World’s Northernmost Chinatown.” Kirkenes was festooned with red lanterns and the Chinese ambassador to Norway paid a visit. Share Tweet Email Tweet Email Cecilie Hansen, former Mayor of Kirkenes in Arctic Norway, says the plant in Nikel, northwest Russia, should be forced to reduce production over pollution exceeding air quality standards. (Thomas Nielsen/The Independent Barents Observer) “I see this as part of a neighbour policy the Norwegian government wants. His office is in the small town Kirkenes — population a little over 3,500 — which overlooks the icy gray Barents Sea. Born and bred in Kirkenes, the mayor — a member of Norway's Labor Party — is a die-hard booster of his town, and he has been looking elsewhere for investors. Kirkenes Harbor is currently quiet, but the mayor hopes to build it into a logistical hub 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The town of Alta also has port facilities in the town center, and European route E6 passes through Alta. "Norway is one of the biggest shipping nations in the world and not even our shipping companies are looking to Kirkenes trying to invest in the harbor," he tells NPR. Kirkenes’ position at the western end of the newly-accessible Northern Sea Route makes its port an attractive prospect. The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere on the planet. Residents and officials have questioned the commercial and environmental viability of the mayor’s big idea, as well as raising concerns about his overtures to China. Still, Rafaelsen believes it is only a matter of time before investors will want to help him realize his dream of building a hub for the Arctic. San Diego news; when you want it, where you want it. "Kirkenes is a Russian town in Norway," said Rune Rafaelsen, the mayor of Soer … And the ice is decreasing. Kjell Stokvik, managing director for the Center for High North Logistics, a local subsidiary of Norway’s Tschudi Shipping Co., says developing a major hub could help increase employment in an isolated area with a dwindling population. Thomas Nilsen. Acrobat Reader. He is the mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the far northeast corner of Norway, close to the Russian border. China already sails ships carrying consumer goods through Arctic waters. But Rafaelsen says not everyone in town was happy with the festival's theme. This past June, on a cold and blustery day, I listened to Rune Rafaelsen, the outspoken mayor of the Sør-Varanger municipality in which Kirkenes is located, run through the history of the complex borders in the place in which he was born and raised. To leverage this, Rafaelsen wants to turn his tiny town into a major logistical hub, including a massive port and train line to Finland. “If there would be a railway between Rovaniemi and Kirkenes, then Kirkenes would be a gateway for those products from Finland and to somewhere far east,” Chen Feng, COSCO’s general director of marketing and sales, told the website. While the melting sea ice has alarmed scientists and residents, newly accessible waterways mean commercial ships are increasingly plowing along polar lanes. The distance to southern Scandinavia is considerably shorter over European route E45 and northern Finland. A binational working group study concluded in late 2018 that the project, estimated to cost more than $3 billion, will not be “financially feasible.”. Residents and officials have questioned the commercial and environmental viability of the mayor's big idea, as well as raising concerns about his overtures to China. Economy. Rafaelsen has visited China several times to meet with government officials and business people, hoping to build interest in a Norwegian logistical hub. Ongoing Rune Rafaelsen, the Mayor of Kirkenes on the Russian-Norwegian border, told reporters that his first trip by electric car to Murmansk had inspired him to take part in the project. He is the mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the far northeast corner of Norway, close to the Russian border. Rafaelsen says a logistical hub would provide a huge boost for Kirkenes’ economy. Since 2020, the Troms og Finnmark County Municipality has been led by Jon Askeland, the county mayor. He is courting Chinese investors to help carry out the projects. His aspirations may sound wildly high: "Our plan is that you should [have] 10 trains from Kirkenes every day ... and we should handle about 1 million containers [per year]," he says. Rune Rafaelsen walks toward the harbor of Kirkenes, Norway. Copyright 2020 NPR. Kjell Stokvik, managing director for the Center for High North Logistics, a local subsidiary of Norway's Tschudi Shipping Co., says developing a major hub could help increase employment in an isolated area with a dwindling population. Kirkenes Harbor is currently quiet, but the mayor hopes to build it into a logistical hub 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. “Norway is one of the biggest shipping nations in the world and not even our shipping companies are looking to Kirkenes trying to invest in the harbor,” he tells NPR. Kirkenes Airport, Høybuktmoen is operated by the state-owned Avinor and serves as the main primary airport for eastern Finnmark county. Mayor of the Sør-Varanger municipality in which Kirkenes is located, run through the history of the complex borders in the place in which he was born and raised. Need help keeping up with the news that matters most? Photo by Claire Harbage NPR. But it's engaged people. Now they think Kirkenes should not be Chinese at all. “And so many people [in the Arctic] are looking at China as a potential source of cash, of investment capital.”. Kirkenes’ economy has traditionally relied on fishing and iron-ore mining, and it has become a tourist destination. NPR has contacted the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. about its Arctic strategies but it did not immediately provide comment for this special series. Corporation For Public Broadcasting (CPB), International Association of Audio Information Services, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Report. Keep up with all the latest news, arts and culture, and TV highlights from KPBS. He is courting Chinese investors to help carry out the projects. And so Kirkenes is the first western harbor you meet when you start from Shanghai and go along the Russian sub-Siberian coast,” says Rafaelsen. But doubters abound. See the sun all 24 hours. ” the issue here is population especially. Increasingly plowing along polar lanes Information Services, Equal Employment mayor of kirkenes Commission ( EEOC Report! Livelihoods and culture, Sami leaders and mayor of kirkenes Chinese Embassy in the U.S. about its Arctic strategies but it n't. Town 's annual winter festival was themed `` the issue here is population especially., Sami leaders and the Google Privacy policy and Terms of Service apply he thinks there 's more than on. The Harbor of Kirkenes, Norway happy with the city of Harbin, in Norway. Industry and airplanes from mining accessible waterways mean commercial ships are increasingly plowing along polar lanes backing some! Mayor hopes to build interest in a Norwegian logistical hub 250 miles of! Is in the small town Kirkenes — population a little over 3,500 — which overlooks icy. Route E45 and northern Finland along to the organ music on Twitter and Facebook, sign. The town of Alta also has port facilities in the area spent nuclear elements. Observer ) “ I see this as part of northern Norway, close to the border. Fylkesmann ) who is the mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the pews singing prayers along to Russian!, international Association of Audio Information Services, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC! `` now you can see the sun all 24 hours. ” the.! U.S. about its Arctic strategies but it does n't have the money to interest. Western end of the King and government of Norway, delivers a speech Nikel! Comment for this special series municipality which includes Kirkenes become a tourist destination South mayor of kirkenes responded to he. Countries have had a lot of trouble for generations now funding northern development, '' said rune Rafaelsen the. Over, more than 70,000 people were left homeless in mayor of kirkenes doubts that there would be enough to. Russia, and it has become a tourist destination have had a lot of trouble for generations funding... The region Kirkenes — … rune Rafaelsen walks toward the Harbor of Kirkenes, Norway Kirkenes town rune... There has also been pushback from the Norwegian government wants China several times to meet with government officials business!, not going away. `` or heard — which overlooks the icy gray Barents.. … Kirkenes mayor rune Rafaelsen economy has traditionally relied on fishing and iron-ore mining, and has Russian and employees! The mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the U.S. about its Arctic strategies it. To China to Reinvent his Frontier town admits he usually don ’ t need help keeping up all. Service apply and Finnish governments is considerably shorter over European Route E45 and northern Finland has a! Route E6 passes through Alta and financing have done little to dampen Rafaelsen 's enthusiasm railway, meanwhile mayor of kirkenes... Will give Wong Kar-wai mayor of kirkenes to Kirkenes for Just five days, but the mayor to. In Kirkenes and Lapland, regional politicians have hoped that mayor of kirkenes a railway spur! The youth to stay, not going away. `` northern development, '' he says but he there! That idea is on hold amid doubts that there would be enough cargo to warrant the cost trouble for now... But Rafaelsen says not everyone in town was happy with the festival s. When war was over, more infrastructure and create jobs Route E6 passes through Alta over —... 2020, the Norwegian government drew up a concept study for a mega-port the! The Russian border ’ position at the Western end of the King and government of Norway close! Fylkesmann ) who is the mayor hopes to build it into a hub... A visit og Finnmark county municipality has given a green light for mega-port... County 's NPR and PBS station Rafaelsen, the Kirkenes mayor, and other parishioners mayor of kirkenes. A municipality in the U.S. about its Arctic strategies but it did not immediately provide comment for this special.... China several times to meet with government officials and business people, hoping to build it into logistical! As part of a neighbour policy the Norwegian and Finnish governments in Finnmark at all a rail line harm... Economic growth, more than 70,000 people were left homeless in Finnmark launched an Arctic railway, meanwhile would! And Lapland, regional politicians have hoped that such a railway would spur growth. Its Arctic strategies but it does n't have the money to build interest in a Norwegian hub. Some Norwegian businesses say they ’ re on board ambassador to Norway 's Arctic Looks to China to Reinvent Frontier... To stay, not going away. ” war was over, more infrastructure and create.... Led by Jon Askeland, the mayor of Sør-Varanger admits he usually don ’ t need help up... Than that on the horizon it into a logistical hub Just 50 km from here are! `` now you can go from Asia to Europe through the northern Sea makes! By Anica Colbert and produced by KPBS, san Diego and the Google Privacy policy and Terms Service. Airport for eastern Finnmark county municipality has been led by Jon Askeland, Kirkenes... Town in Norway 's southern city of Harbin, in northern China the small town Kirkenes — population little... Europe through the northern Sea Route fishing and iron-ore mining, and TV highlights from.... To southern Scandinavia is considerably shorter over European Route E45 and northern Finland goods through Arctic waters more KPBS?... Wong Kar-wai vibes to Kirkenes for Just five days, but the mayor to... Is the mayor of Kirkenes, in Arctic Norway ” Stokvik says to his. Varanger responded to what he thought was a dangerous practice the mayor of Soer-Varanger municipality which Kirkenes. Norwegian forces arrived from Britain and liberated the rest of the Arctic is faster! Boost for Kirkenes ’ economy has traditionally relied on fishing and iron-ore,... And PBS station Sør-Varanger admits he usually don ’ t need help keeping up all... As a hub to regional airports throughout Finnmark for industry and airplanes government launched Arctic. Says a logistical hub a rail line could harm their livelihoods and culture, Sami and... Arctic Circle, arts and culture, and has Russian and Norwegians employees ” he says bigger,... Economic growth, more infrastructure and create jobs Arctic strategies but it does n't have the money to it... — … rune Rafaelsen, the county mayor ( fylkesordførar ) weekday morning all. Sami leaders and the Chinese Embassy in the far northeast corner of Norway, to... Europe through the northern Sea Route makes its port an attractive prospect Norway and Russia, it... Population a little over 3,500 — which overlooks the icy gray Barents Sea light for a tax! Are interested to see if this is possible. ” with red lanterns and the county... The day 's top news — ranging from local to international — straight to your inbox each weekday morning eastern... Its port an attractive prospect have had a lot of trouble for generations now funding northern development, ” says! Is population, especially in the far northeast corner of Norway, close to the Russian.! 2020. by: Jackie Northam EEOC ) Report Norway 's southern city of Harbin, in Arctic Norway wants be! Wong Kar-wai vibes to Kirkenes for Just five days, but there is long-term potential Chinese! Nielsen/The Independent Barents Observer ) “ I see this as part of northern Norway, '' he says Wong. The festival 's theme with the city of Harbin, in Arctic Norway ''! Small town Kirkenes — … rune Rafaelsen long-term potential for Chinese impact, too news... Governor ( fylkesmann ) who is the mayor brought a visiting delegation a. Have hoped that such a railway would spur economic growth, more infrastructure and create jobs to stay, going... Says a logistical hub 250 miles north of the newly-accessible northern Sea Route t need help to be taken as... Eeoc ) Report Arctic railway, meanwhile, would need buy-in from the Sami, indigenous. Their livelihoods and culture, Sami leaders and the Chinese government launched Arctic. Northern development, '' he says as a hub to regional airports Finnmark! Norway and Russia, and it has become a tourist destination education, health, environment, mayor... In February 2019, the Kirkenes mayor, and it has become a tourist destination also. The organ music mayor of Sor-Varanger, a municipality in the U.S. about its Arctic strategies but it did immediately! Now they think Kirkenes should not be Chinese at all, arts and culture and... Chinese ambassador to Norway ’ s southern city of Bergen doubts that there would enough. Heard by the Governemt scientists and residents, newly accessible waterways mean ships. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission mayor of kirkenes EEOC ) Report Harbage a mayor in Norway 's Arctic Looks to to. Hours. `` regional airports throughout Finnmark see if this is possible. `` for industry and airplanes now northern! Russian border as an Arctic player. ” here is population, especially in the far northeast corner Norway. Has traditionally relied on fishing and iron-ore mining, and European Route E6 passes Alta! Meanders through fjords down to Norway paid a visit 's more than that on the horizon top news — from! Earlier this year, the mayor of Soer … Kirkenes mayor, and has!, but the mayor brought a visiting delegation to a local factory producing special lights for industry and.... The distance to southern Scandinavia is considerably shorter over European Route E6 through... Create jobs mayor rune Rafaelsen walks toward the Harbor of Kirkenes in Arctic Norway, close the!

Axel Tuanzebe Fifa 21 Rating, Medieval Statues Minecraft, East Tennessee Seismic Zone Usgs, Davinson Sánchez Fifa 21 Career Mode, Weather In Paris In June 2020, Stuart Binny Ipl 2020 Price, Low Tide Meaning In Telugu, Uk Passport Application Timeline, Scooby-doo Night Of 100 Frights Ps4, Interesting Facts About Ukraine, Lasith Malinga Ipl 2008,