Finland Allows Return of Artworks to Russia
09:21 GMT 08.04.2022 (Updated: 20:52 GMT 19.10.2022)
© AFP 2023 / JUSSI NOUSIAINEN / LEHTIKUVA
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As news of the seizure of Russian art broke and Finland's ambassador was summoned in protest, the Nordic country's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto spoke in favour of returning the artwork to Russia, stressing that Finland had “no reason to withhold items from any museum”.
The Finnish Foreign Ministry has allowed the return of artworks to Russia.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has given permission for the return of art objects belonging to museums to Russia. New EU sanctions have been adopted and will be published later in the Official Journal of the EU. Legislative changes will come into force on April 9, 2022, and these changes will include the possibility for member states to issue permits for the export or other transfer of cultural property included in official cultural cooperation to Russia," the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier, Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova said that Russian museum exhibits, which participated in European exhibitions and had previously been detained at Finnish customs, are not subject to sanctions and will return to Russia the coming weekend.
“The European Commission clarified that the exhibits that participated in European exhibitions, previously detained at the Finnish customs, do not fall under the sanctions list. The decision of the European Commission makes it possible to proceed with the transportation of paintings. The Ministry of Culture has started organising the return of collections, and it is expected that the works will return to the Russian Federation the coming weekend,” the minister wrote on her Telegram channel, thanking her colleagues from the Foreign Ministry, the Russian Embassy in Finland and the Federal Customs Service for their joint work and assistance.
“The European Commission clarified that the exhibits that participated in European exhibitions, previously detained at the Finnish customs, do not fall under the sanctions list. The decision of the European Commission makes it possible to proceed with the transportation of paintings. The Ministry of Culture has started organising the return of collections, and it is expected that the works will return to the Russian Federation the coming weekend,” the minister wrote on her Telegram channel, thanking her colleagues from the Foreign Ministry, the Russian Embassy in Finland and the Federal Customs Service for their joint work and assistance.
On Wednesday, the Finnish customs service confirmed the seizure of Russian art objects from museums including the Hermitage in St, Petersburg worth over 42 million euros (close to $46 million). The museum cargo consisted of three batches which were detained from April 2-4 as qualifying for EU sanctions. The batches were exhibited in Italy and Japan and included paintings, sculptures and antiques protected by state immunity.
On Thursday, 7 April, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto spoke in favour of returning them to Russia.
“Sanctions against Russia were imposed at such a rapid pace that all situations were not taken into account. I hope that this can be resolved promptly,” Haavisto told Finnish broadcaster Yle, adding that Finland had “no reason to withhold items from any museum”.
The very same day Finnish ambassador to the Russia Antti Helantera was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, for a verbal protest amid the seizure of artworks.
Following the start of Russia's operation to demilitarise Ukraine and protect the Donbass People's Republics, the West has showered Moscow with sanctions targeting all spheres of life from tech and finance to arts and sports. Numerous boycotts and penalties have been imposed against Russian officials. Despite traditional claims that art is separate from politics, numerous international institutions have chosen to disrupt artistic and cultural ties with Russia and ban Russian participation at events.
