Kemijärvi demonstrators boo and jeer at visiting Prime Minister Vanhanen
Around 300 protesters waiting for PM, most dressed in mourning black
"We came here to witness the death of the pulp mill", snapped one of the three hundred demonstrators dressed in black while waiting for the appearance of Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) in front of the Kemijärvi City Hall.
The Prime Minister arrived in Kemijärvi in Finnish Lapland two days after the announcement of the new jobs to be created in the area with the commencement of laminated beam production.
The opinions of the locals, in turn, were made clear to the PM upon his arrival. The demonstrators, who had gathered in front of the city hall, booed and jeered Vanhanen roundly and complained of the government's cowed acceptance of the Stora Enso decision to close the plant. Despite the rather hostile mood, the demonstration went off peacefully.
The people interviewed by Helsingin Sanomat at the scene wished Vanhanen would focus on domestic issues with more gusto instead of just travelling all over the world.
"One man cannot stop climate change", they said, in a none-too-veiled reference to Vanhanen's recent trip to the United States.
Few had attached high hopes to Vanhanen’s visit. Still, some thanked him for at least showing up.
"At any rate this shows that he’s got some sort of backbone", a local hotel entrepreneur stated.
"We are far too accommodating here in Finland. Even in Germany the Federal Chancellor immediately reacted to the Nokia Bochum business", the man and his business partner continued. Nokia's decision to close down a handset plant in Germany has prompted mass demonstrations and angry rebukes from political and other figures.
PM Vanhanen spent an entire afternoon at the Kemijärvi City Hall listening to Eastern Lapland municipal managers and working men voice their opinions.
The movement fighting for the pulp mill jobs also presented calculations of profitability for a bio pulp mill that could be erected next to the existing mill.
The popular movement has previously suggested the establishment of such a facility on the site of the pulp mill, but the mill owner Stora Enso has refused to consider selling the premises.
So far the Prime Minister has not responded as to whether he would consider a bio pulp mill a realistic option. In other respects as well the Kemijärvi residents were left without any concrete promises.
Vanhanen did meet with some local entrepreneurs behind closed doors, however.
"I received detailed information concerning various projects. There seems to be plenty of interest towards the pulp mill facilities, as well as the skilled workers becoming available", Vanhanen said in the afternoon press conference.
Vanhanen commented that he had faith in mechanical wood processing such as laminated beam production, where a number of jobs can be created with a relatively small amount of effort.
More on this subject:
 Laminated beam factory to be set up in Kemijärvi pulp mill building
Helsingin Sanomat
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