Murmansk region and Finnish province lapland sign agreement on border area cooperation

The governor of the Murmansk region, Yury Yevdakimov, and Finnish Minister of Contiguous Cooperation Jan-Erik Enestam signed an agreement on border area cooperation between the Russian region and the Finnish province of Lapland.

The press service of the regional administration said Thursday that the agreement envisages, among other things, the construction of a "Salla" international motorway check-point in 2002-2003, the project to be financed by Finland, and establishment of a regular bus and air service between the Murmansk region and Lapland.

The beginning of cooperation between the two regions was marked by issuing, in 1988, a bilateral statement on the development of friendly relations. Between 1999 and 2001 the Finnish government allocated 13,2 million euros on various projects in the Murmansk region.