Norway Has Second Thoughts About Its Friendly Mountain Present to Finland

In July, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg received an official proposal to bestow one of the twin Haldefjell peaks to Finland as a token of friendship. The initiative was submitted by the Norwegian border municipality of Kåfjord. Solberg then promised to consider the issue, but warned that it was associated with formal challenges.

Last week, the idea was ultimately rejected by Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende during his visit to Helsinki, where he accompanied the Norwegian royal couple.

"Finland is one of our closest friends, so I can guarantee that we will find a fantastic gift. But moving state boundaries incurs legally complex issues," Brende said, as quoted by Finnish newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet.

According to Brende, a change of the Norwegian constitution is needed in order to be able to freely give away Norwegian territory, which is hardly worth the trouble. Previously, Norway's offer was hailed around the globe as a groundbreaking effort, in which a county voluntary parts with its territory.

The Haldefjell Mountain (or Halti in Finnish) is located on the border between Finland and Norway. Its second highest peak with an altitude of 1,324 meters is located in Enontekiö Municipality in Finland. The highest peak, which is seven meters higher than its Finnish twin, lies in Kåfjord Municipality. The Norwegian-Finnish border would thus have been moved by approximately 40 meters.

The idea of presenting mountains was launched by 76-year-old pensioner Bjørn Geirr Harsson, a former employee of the Norwegian Mapping Authority, who is still a keen mountain trekker. According to him, the border shift would not be a great loss for Norway anyway, whereas Finland could thus boast a new high point.

Harsson's proposal was backed by numerous activists in Norway, who on Facebook organized the collection of signatures for the friendly mountain transfer. To date, it has been liked by over 17,000 Facebook users, including many Finns.

​Halti remains a popular place for hiking, especially on the Norwegian side of the border.

Finland declared independence on December 6, 1917, after protracted negotiations with Russia. After the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, the personal union between former Grand Duchy of Finland and Russia lost its legal base. Preparations for the anniversary are already underway in parts of Finland.