Aland 2001

Yearbook 2001

Aland. The Åland Autonomous Government, the Landscape Board, was dissolved in March following disagreements in the coalition between the Åland Center, the Frisinnad collaboration and the Unbound Collection. Center Party Land Council Roger Nordlund formed a new coalition between his own party and the Liberals, Aland’s two largest parties.

Finland’s Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen made an official visit to Aland in August, promising a more unified Åland policy on the part of the government. The Landscape Board had called for this, as well as greater Åland influence in the EU. Lipponen therefore invited the county council to participate in the Finnish delegation at the EU IGC in Belgium in December.

The Supreme Court, HD, declared in August that the new lottery law adopted by the Riksdag was contrary to the Self-Government Act for Aland. President Tarja Halonen had chosen not to sign the law until HD gave his statement, an unusual measure on the part of the president. The government was commissioned by Parliament to submit a new bill.

Göran Persson became the first Swedish prime minister to visit Å in August for formal political deliberations at the official invitation of the Landscape Board.

During the autumn, SAS-owned Air Botnia closed the unprofitable regular air services between Mariehamn and Stockholm.