Helsinki politicians endorse merger with Vantaa, Espoo, and Kauniainen
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Most political groups in the Helsinki City Council have come out in favour of a merger of the four cities of the Helsinki metropolitan area - Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, and Kauniainen.
Nearly all of the most important party groups in the council supported a model put forward by members of the National Coalition Party group - either calling for the formation of a single municipal entity, or expressing readiness for municipal mergers.
The issue was discussed at an extraordinary meeting of the City Council, which had been convened for a discussion on reforms to municipal and service structures.
Helsinki, and a consultative committee on matters related to the greater Helsinki region are to give a response to an inquiry by the Ministry of the Interior on issues related to municipal reform.
The Chairman of the Council, Jan Vapaavuori (Nat. Coalition Party) said that because of its size, Helsinki, should lead the project of linking the cities in the area.
He said that the cities, and the state should produce a common report on turning the Helsinki region into a new large city.
The proposal was supported especially by the Greens, the Left Alliance, and the Christian Democrats.
"All of the cities should be joined together for the sake of the vitality of the Helsinki region", said Minerva Krohn of the Green League.
The Social Democrats were also in favour of the move, provided that good reasons can be found, and that the proposal gets popular support. However, the Social Democrats are worried that resources could be wasted in bickering over the issue.
Opposing the proposal were representatives of the Swedish People’s Party, and the Communists.
There were also calls for including the western part of the municipality of Sipoo in the plan. Representatives of the Social Democrats and the National Coalition Party said that western areas of Sipoo should be merged with Helsinki even if the wider municipal merger plans do not materialise.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 12.1.2006 - TODAY |
 Helsinki politicians endorse merger with Vantaa, Espoo, and Kauniainen
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