Speech by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen at the Åland Islands Peace Institute on 1 November 2011

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International conference “The Åland Example and Its Components – Relevance for International Conflict Resolution”

The self-government of Åland is said to be the oldest existing autonomy in the world. The decision of June 1921 of the Council of the League of Nations deals with Finnish sovereignty over Åland and its autonomy and demilitarisation. Within a few days of this decision Finland had agreed, through the Åland Islands Settlement between Finland and Sweden, to protect the language, culture and local traditions of Åland. The Settlement was confirmed by the Council of the League of Nations.

October 1921 saw the signing of the Åland convention relating to the non-fortification and neutralisation of the Åland Islands. The Åland Guaranty Act, which was based on the Åland Islands Settlement, was passed in 1922. The Guaranty Act was an amendment to the Act on the Autonomy of Åland of 1920.

At that time the views of the population of Åland were affected by concerns over the fate of Finland. They felt that their position would be more secure with Sweden. This was evident in the petitions of 1917 and 1919, in which the clear majority of the population voiced the desire to be part of Sweden.

The demilitarisation of Åland dates back a long time – it was already agreed in the peace treaty ending the Crimean war in 1856. Demilitarisation is an essential part of the current identity of the islands. It served to increase stability not only in the Åland Islands, but in the Baltic Sea region as a whole. All countries in the region, and other states and organisations, can rely on Åland not being used for military operations.

An essential aspect of Åland’s special status is the special protection enjoyed in the province by the Swedish language. The position of Åland is made easier by the fact that Finland throughout her independence has been a bilingual country where – quite exceptionally in international comparison – the Finnish grand majority learn the language of the Swedish-speaking minority. However, it is no longer as clear as before that public officials, for example, have a sufficient command of Swedish in practice. If the Swedish skills of Finns continue to weaken, Åland could lean more and more towards Sweden. This is already evident among the young people of the province when it comes to higher education. However, it would be particularly important for students to become familiar with Finnish decision-making and government. The young people of Åland should be encouraged to seek studies in mainland Finland, where a considerable variety of studies are available in Swedish.

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The autonomy of Åland can be seen as Finland’s input to the international peace process required after World War I. Autonomy served to settle the dispute between Finland and Sweden. Finland herself had received full independence only a few years earlier after a period of autonomy. This may have had a positive effect on Finland accepting the autonomy of Åland. The Finnish Parliament gave up part of its absolute legislative sovereignty to one of the country’s provinces.

Both parties have had positive experiences of the autonomous position of Åland under Finland. However, this has required mutual effort and good will. Self-government is a living mechanism, affected both by the parties and by the changing world. In international comparison, the Åland model has worked well and has gained outside interest.

The Delegation of Åland supervises how provincial power is used when passing provincial legislation. Supervisory power is also held by the Supreme Court and, ultimately, the President of the Republic. The President of the Republic may revoke a provincial act wholly or in part. This is possible if the Provincial Parliament is deemed to have exceeded its legislative powers or the act is deemed to concern the internal or external security of the nation. Certain topical questions relating to provincial legislation show that drawing the lines of provincial powers is a complex issue. The Supreme Court is the Supreme Court also for Åland, and the President of the Republic can request for a statement of the Supreme Court before her own decision.

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Is there a demand for the Åland model in the modern world? The desire for independence burns among many nations and minorities. Depending on the method of calculation, there are possibly more than one hundred regions that have active movements seeking independence or extensive self-government. There are no doubt different opinions on the size of region or nation that can succeed in obtaining independence. Globalisation is likely to steer the development towards larger entities.

Autonomy may well seem a sensible solution in some cases. The experiences of Finland and Åland of autonomy have been a success story that is also known internationally, as today’s conference demonstrates. The Åland model is by no means suitable for all situations. But it is a good demonstration of how a somewhat problematic beginning may with time lead to a mutually satisfactory and established solution. Today, this solution has the support of the clear majority of the people of Åland. It has, of course, helped that Finland and Sweden fully accepted the decision of the League of Nations, and that the relations between the countries have been excellent ever since. The countries also share a history together, as Finland was part of Sweden for 600 years.

What is essential regarding calls for autonomy or independence is how the state protects the cultural identity of the population, as well as human rights, democracy and legal protection. The protection of various cultural identities reduces the pressure towards independence. These are constant topics at the international level. It is my understanding that Finland has been successful in protecting the culture and rights of the people of Åland. I am also confident that this will remain true in the future. According to the current Government Programme, the autonomy of Åland will be developed and fostered in cooperation with the Province of Åland.

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What of the future? The relationship between the Province of Åland and mainland Finland is living and developing. The development of this relationship requires trust from both parties. The relationship should also be open to changes, but these changes should be made in a transparent and fair spirit. I am confident that this is already true between Åland and mainland Finland, and will continue to be so in the future.

I would like to conclude by wishing the participants of this conference a successful day and interesting discussions around this important topic. Remember that everything is not just black and white, but there are colours, and other than grey, too.