Sámi Parliament funding cut less severe than expected in Finland

The funding for the Sámi Parliament in Finland for the upcoming year will not be reduced as significantly as previously anticipated. According to the government’s budget proposal released last week, the cut to the budget designated for Sámi cultural self-governance has been limited to €193,000. This represents a nearly one-third decrease from the initially projected cuts. Earlier this August, the government had planned to slash funding by €568,000. In light of this, the new reduction feels less severe, says Pirita Näkkäläjärvi, the chairperson of the Sámi Parliament.

“Of course, we will have to make cuts, and that is still a substantial amount, but it isn’t as significant as initially proposed. One can only be satisfied. This greatly assists us in planning for the upcoming year,” Näkkäläjärvi noted in an interview with Yle.

The Ministry of Justice allocates funding for Sámi cultural self-governance, which this year totaled €4.968 million. The overall budget of the Sámi Parliament is approximately €10 million, with next year’s budget set at €4.775 million for cultural self-governance.

However, savings still need to be made. The Sámi Parliament’s board will convene next week to discuss budget adjustments for 2025. The cuts will affect political activities, meeting and consultation costs, salaries for preparers, the Sámi Language Council, as well as administrative, financial, and occupational health expenses.

“It is certainly not pleasant. The Sámi Parliament is already operating with limited funding. For a long time, there hasn’t been enough money for the work we do. This will impact us and our work next year. It won’t be easy,” says Näkkäläjärvi. The budget proposal for 2025 will be presented and approved by the government on September 23, followed by discussions in parliament in December.