Download THE ÅLAND ISLANDS

ÅLAND
ÅLAND
6,757 islands – of which 60 are inhabited
A BRIEF HISTORY
OF ÅLAND
1809
Åland and Finland is conquered by Russia
1854–1856
Bomarsund Fortress falls 1854 (Crimean
War)
Åland is declared a demilitarised zone at
the peace negotiations in Paris 1856
A BRIEF HISTORY
OF ÅLAND
Finnish independence
1917
League of Nations’ decision
1921
on Ålandic autonomy
Act on the Autonomy of Åland
takes effect
1922
1954
1970
Åland’s flag
Åland a member of
the Nordic Council
SELF-GOVERNMENT
The 1921 decision of the League of Nations
Åland to be a self-governed region of Finland.
Finland to guarantee the population of Åland
the preservation of their:
- Swedish language
- culture
- local customs
Demilitarisation and neutralisation,
international guarantees
THE ÅLAND PARLIAMENT
• Åland Parliament; 30 members
• elected every four years on the basis of the
number of personal votes
THE ÅLAND
GOVERNMENT
• Åland Government; max. 8 members
• appointed by the Åland Parliament
• led by the Head of Government
SELF-GOVERNMENT
The Åland Parliament has legislative
power in areas such as:
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education and culture
health- and social care
environmental issues
trade and industry
local transport
municipal administration
police
postal service, radio and TV
SELF-GOVERNMENT
The Finnish Parliament passes laws –
which apply also in Åland – in areas
such as
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foreign affairs
State taxation
most civil and criminal law
the court system
customs, coast guard, civil protection
the Church Act
RELATIONSHIP
WITH FINLAND
• The President appoints the Governor of
Åland in consultation with the Åland
Parliament
• The Åland Delegation presents an opinion
on competence
• One Member of Parliament (out of 200)
• Dialogue with the Finnish Government and
Parliament on language issues, legislative
competence and taxation
Governor
Peter Lindbäck
Member of Parliament
Elisabeth Nauclér
THE ÅLAND
ECONOMY
THE ÅLAND
ECONOMY
Åland’s GDP 2008, per cent
Farming, forestry and fishing
Manufacturing
Construction
Retail
Sea transport
Other transport
Hotel and restaurant
Serie1
Banking and insurance
Real estate
Public administration
IT
Culture and recreation
Other
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
THE ÅLAND ISLANDS:
AN OLD AND EVOLVING
AUTONOMY
1. The notion of the Åland Example and its
components
- Demilitarization and neutralization
- Territorial autonomy
- Cultural and linguistic safeguards
THE ÅLAND ISLANDS:
AN OLD AND EVOLVING
AUTONOMY
2. Commitment to the basic arrangement
- The institutions have developed considerably over
time and function in many ways differently today than
at the time of their conception
- European integration has accentuated the need for
revisions and adaptations of the system and Åland
and Finland are still in search for adequate and
appropriate means and procedures for a timely
participation of Åland at a European level
- Åland is to be - and is in fact heard - in matters
affecting the Islands
THE ÅLAND ISLANDS:
AN OLD AND EVOLVING
AUTONOMY
3. The Åland Example as a network of contacts
- The Åland Example is a relational arrangement and not a
recipe for isolation
- The Nordic countries incorporate four different
autonomous examples; Åland, the Faroe Islands,
Greenland and the partly territorial autonomy of Sami
traditional territories
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The Åland Example is to be understood within a Nordic
integration
- When contemplating on how to solve situations of
disputed territories, emphasis should be put not only on
the situation and the institutions in the disputed territory/
autonomy but equally on the institutions/procedures in the
country within which the autonomy is situated
THE ÅLAND ISLANDS:
AN OLD AND EVOLVING
AUTONOMY
4. The relevance of the Åland Example for
International Conflict Resolution
- Different elements of the Åland Example have proven
interesting for different actors, at different times and for
different reasons
- The Åland Example can be of:
- Concrete value: example of institutionalized
solutions
- Abstract/conceptual value: Point of reference in
discussions about demilitarization/neutralization, minority
protection and territorial autonomy
- As a physical meeting space: space for low level
talks and meetings