Poll: Fewer Finns want Karelia back

Opponents of restoration balk at potential cost

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Support for the return to Finland of the areas of Finnish Karelia ceded to the Soviet Union at the end of the war has declined, and opposition to a return has increased.
      According to a survey commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat and conducted by Suomen Gallup, only nine percent of respondents feel that the restoration of the ceded areas would be "very desirable". A year ago the figure was 14%.
      The main reason given for opposing a return of Karelia to Finland was fear that the move would cost too much.
      There has also been a decline in the number of people who feel that the move would be "fairly desirable" - from 24% last year to just 21% now.
     
Those taking a "completely negative" view of the return of Karelia numbered 31%, slightly higher than last year’s 28%.
      A clear majority of respondents - 62% - felt that the restoration of Karelia is hardly, or not at all desirable. Just 30% would like to get the ceded territories back.
      Those of Karelian origin, or those with family roots there, were somewhat more in favour of getting the areas back than other respondents, but even in that group, only 42% felt that way.
      A majority of those with a Karelian background take a cautious view of calls for restoration.
      The most open to having the territories restored to Finland were the youngest respondents - those aged 15 to 24. Of that age group, 39% reacted positively to the idea of the restoration.
      The most negative feelings were among those of working age, and the middle-aged. Men, entrepreneurs, farmers, and pensioners tended to favour the restoration of Karelia more than others.
      Wage-earners tended to have a negative view. There were also some differences in attitudes among supporters of the various political parties.
      Supporters of the Centre Party and the National Coalition Party are more likely to be in favour of getting the ceded territories back; about one third of supporters of those parties felt that the idea was at least "fairly desirable".
      The most negative attitudes were among supporters of the Left Alliance and the Green League.
      The poll involved interviews with 1,001 people aged 15 and over living in mainland Finland.
     
The main reasons given for opposing the return of the ceded territories are economic: 52% of those opposed to the move say that repairs to buildings and infrastructure would be prohibitively expensive.
      Even those who are in favour of getting the area back concede that the reconstruction of Karelia would be expensive for Finnish taxpayers.
      Demographic issues and environmental problems are also concerns that reduce the appeal of getting the ceded areas back, with 14% saying that if the present residents stayed in the area, Finland would end up with a Russian minority that is too big.
      Even many of those who support the restoration feel that environmental problems would be difficult.
      Those with a positive view of getting the territories back concede more readily than others that demands for a change in the border would weaken political relations between Finland and Russia.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Adventurous spirit required to navigate back roads of Russian Karelia (13.8.2005)
  Eco-tourism seen as key to future of north shore of Lake Ladoga (10.8.2005)
  Karelian Association fears summer festival may be overshadowed by radicals pushing territorial demands (17.6.2005)
  ProKarelia movement wants back ceded areas as well as war reparations paid to the Soviet Union (3.3.2005)

Helsingin Sanomat