Radio | News week in plain Finnish | Saturday 21.6.2025

Anti-personnel mines and the Sámi Parliament Act

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Parliament has begun its summer recess. The MPs’ vacation began on Midsummer and will continue until the beginning of September.

In the last plenary session before the summer break, Parliament made two major decisions.

The Parliament decided that Finland will withdraw from the international treaty banning anti-personnel mines.

The Parliament also approved the reform of the Sámi Parliament Act.

Now we will tell you more about these decisions.

Finland leaves the Ottawa Treaty

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The Parliament decided that Finland will withdraw from the Ottawa Convention. Photo: Markku Ulander / Lehtikuva

Finland is withdrawing from the international Ottawa Treaty, which prohibits the use and production of anti-personnel mines.

The Parliament voted on the Ottawa Agreement in the last plenary session of the spring on Thursday. The majority of MPs supported the decision to withdraw.

The decision means that the Finnish Defence Forces, or army, will be allowed to use anti-personnel mines in the future.

Anti-personnel mines back in use

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Pipe mines and saccharin mines are anti-personnel mines. Photo: Defence Forces

The Ottawa Treaty has a six-month notice period, after which the Finnish army can deploy anti-personnel mines.

Anti-personnel mines are explosives that can be placed on the ground or in water. They explode when a person or vehicle comes near or touches them.

Landmines have also killed and injured many ordinary people, as mines have remained in the field even after the war is over. The Ottawa Convention is intended to protect civilians.

The Finnish government has justified its withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty by saying that Finland’s security situation has changed.

Sámi language and voting rights

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Representatives of the Sámi Parliament followed the discussion of the legal reform in Parliament. Photo: Silja Viitala / Yle

In the last plenary session of the spring, the Parliament also decided to amend the Sámi Parliament Act.

The Sámi are an indigenous people whose homeland is Lapland. The Sámi Parliament is the Sámi’s own parliament.

The legal reform changes who can participate in the Sámi parliamentary elections. In the future, anyone with at least one Sámi-speaking close relative will have the right to vote.

Repetition

In the news week, we reported on the final decisions of Parliament before the summer break.

The Parliament decided that Finland will withdraw from the international Ottawa Convention.

This means that the Finnish army can resume using anti-personnel mines.

The Parliament also approved an amendment to the Sámi Parliament Act.

The law will be changed so that the right to vote will be based on the Sámi language.

This was Uutisviikko. See you again tomorrow.