Saimaa canal Russia suspends cancellation of Saimaa canal lease if Finland joins NATO – Channel commissioner talks speculation

Russia may require changes to the lease agreement for the Saimaa canal if Finland joins NATO. That’s what the Russian said on Wednesday Izvestia-magazine.

According to Izvestia, who is close to the Moscow authorities, a review of the lease of the Saimaa Canal has not been ruled out in the Russian State Duma, ie the parliament.

Izvestija interviewed the Vice-Chair of the Duma’s Committee on International Affairs Dmitri Novikovia. The Duma is now considered practically president Vladimir Putin as a rubber stamp of administration.

Novikov said in an interview with the newspaper that if Russia’s relations with any country deteriorate, it would be natural to renegotiate the agreements that were made during the good relations.

He was the first in Finland to report on the matter Evening News.

Saimaa the canal connects the Saimaa watershed with the Gulf of Finland, and part of the canal runs on the Russian side. Finland has leased the Russian side under a long lease.

Is the closure of the Saimaa canal a real threat or a deterrent to Russia?

“It seems to be speculation,” says the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Saimaa Channel Commissioner Minna Kivimäki.

Kivimäki answered HS’s questions by e-mail. According to him, Finland will abide by the lease agreement as agreed, and it is not known whether Russia would do the same.

“Russia has not raised this issue in the co-operation between the countries’ channel commissioners, nor, I understand, in other discussions between our states.”

Finnish Security Intelligence Service has evaluated, that with the NATO debate, Russia is likely to target influential companies in Finland in the coming months, such as cyber and information operations. According to HS data decision on Finland’s NATO application will be made after mid-May.

If would the channel agreement really be terminated, what effects would it have on Finland?

“The canal forms the only direct water transport route from Saimaa to the Baltic Sea,” Kivimäki points out.

Only a very small part of all of Finland’s foreign trade passes through the channel. However, the route is regionally significant for water transport in industry operating in Eastern Finland, Kivimäki says.

According to him, the most significant users of the canal have traditionally been the forest industry and the transportation of fertilizers and raw minerals. Shipments of raw wood imported from Russia, however ran out as early as November.

Fairway Agency industry director Juuso Kummala does not want to go on to assess whether the termination of the Saimaa canal agreement is a real risk or intimidation for Russia.

“It’s this hybrid effect that’s what it is. Is it [riski] real or not, I cannot comment on this point. We rely on that information in public, ”says Kummala.

He also says that no new information about the Saimaa canal has come from Russia through the authorities.

The traffic season on the Saimaa canal was officially opened at the end of March, but the canal has not been used so far.

Shipping companies and companies do not want to go into the canal because they feel the risks associated with it are too great due to Russia’s unpredictability. There have been no goers to the canal, so it has not been broken open by ice.

“It was to be assumed that after mid-May there could be someone coming there. But this type of news, which has been there even today, can further increase the reluctance to go there to try, ”Kummala says.

Fairway Agency is now focusing on opening a deep-water network in Saimaa, within Finland’s borders.

“The Saimaa canal is important, but in this situation, companies have already created new types of logistics chains in case the canal cannot pass. The fact that internal transport in Saimaa can be opened will ease the situation. The aim is to replace some of the transports with railways, ”says Kummala.

If the need for rail transport increases, the question of the adequacy of resources will arise. According to Kummala, the Fairway Agency monitors the situation and engages in dialogue with companies.