Espoo leaders do not want to examine municipal merger in Helsinki region

Jan Vapaavuori

print this

Political leaders in Espoo, which lies just west of the Finnish capital Helsinki, oppose calls for launching a study into the possible effects of merging the cities in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
      The statement, given before Tuesday’s meeting of the Consultative Committee for the Helsinki Region, comes after a positive view taken by members of the Helsinki City Council to the idea of a municipal merger.
      Signing the statement opposing an investigation into a possible joining of the cities were leaders of the Espoo City Council and the City Board - Eero Akaan-Penttilä (Nat. Coalition), Markku Sistonen (SDP), Jukka Mäkelä (Nat. Coalition), Susanna Rahkonen (SDP), and Raimo Inkinen (Green).
      The local authorities of the Helsinki region have been asked to submit a comment to the national government on the municipal and service structure of the region by mid-February.
      After the meeting, the committee’s chairman, Jan Vapaavuori (Nat. Coalition), who also chairs the Helsinki City Board, insisted that the meeting had proceeded in a positive spirit, and that he expects the group to have a statement ready for the Ministry of the Interior on February 14th.
     
However, the differences between Helsinki and Espoo on the issue would seem to make it hard to reach a unanimous stand.
      Espoo’s leading politicians want the municipal council term which began at the beginning of 2005 to be completed before any studies are embarked upon.
      "Cooperation must be given the possibility to develop and deepen during this term. Responses to be given to the state must represent a common view of all cities of the Helsinki region", the Espoo leaders emphasise.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Helsinki politicians endorse merger with Vantaa, Espoo, and Kauniainen (12.1.2006)

Helsingin Sanomat