Helsinki uses threats to pressure Sipoo to change boundaries

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Helsinki’s highest leaders tried to use threats to intimidate neighbouring Sipoo to allow Helsinki to annex part of the territory of the largely rural municipality to the east of the city. Helsinki Mayor Jussi Pajunen (Nat. Coalition Party) and City Board Chairman Jan Vapaavuori (Nat. Coalition Party) presented an ultimatum to Sipoo in discussions held on the matter in April.
      The two said that if Sipoo does not agree voluntarily to relinquish an area of 25 square kilometres to the Finnish capital, Helsinki would go through the national government to get an area twice as big.
      In the summer Helsinki put forward a proposal to incorporate about 50 square kilometres of Sipoo land into Helsinki.
     
A small group of leaders of Helsinki and Sipoo held discussions on the land question earlier this year. The group included Pajunen, Vapaavuori, Sipoo Municipal Mayor Markku Luoma and Sipoo Municipal Board Chairman Christel Liljeström (Swed. People’s Party).
      The dramatic events of the spring are revealed in protocols, drawn up by a temporary committee set up by the Sipoo Municipal Council, and based on interviews with Liljeström and Luoma.
      The protocols reveal that the group of four "probed" the possibility of a historical border change. The discussions appear to have involved obsessive secrecy and intimidation at a level resembling blackmail.
      According to Liljeström, Vapaavuori and Pajunen said that Helsinki would make do with a smaller piece of Sipoo land if Sipoo would agree voluntarily to a border shift. Otherwise, Helsinki would go to the national government to secure a larger area.
      Helsinki said that it would also be willing to give up its land holdings within Sipoo if there were a voluntary change in the border.
     
Vapaavuori neither confirms nor denies that pressure was exerted on Sipoo. "In the latter meeting certain maps were put forward", he says.
      The atmosphere at the meeting was described as tense. "I felt that Vapaavuori was making threats, but I linked that with his personality", Luoma says.
      Vapaavuori says that he merely wanted to bring out as clearly as possible that Helsinki is serious.
     
Sipoo decided not to agree to the conditions set by Helsinki. On the 16th of June Liljeström was told that Minister of Municipal Affairs Hannes Manninen supports Helsinki’s initiative.
      A number of Sipoo decision-makers are upset, saying that Liljeström and Luoma had miscalculated, and kept information on talks with Helsinki from them.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Helsinki wants to expand to western parts of Sipoo (20.6.2006)

Helsingin Sanomat