Finland's Sanna Marin apologises for lack of action on rights of indigenous Sámi people
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin has said she's sorry for delays in acting on new human rights legislation for indigenous Sámi people.
It comes after Euronews highlighted ongoing problems with the Sámi Parliament Act, which Marin's government had promised to pass in their current legislative programme.
Four of the five parties in government are understood to support the legislation, which was drafted after lengthy negotiations with the Sámi Parliament in Inari, Lapland. However the Centre Party, which relies on voters in the countryside to shore up its support and typically takes a protectionist line on issues impacting rural areas, has emerged as a major stumbling block.
The Sámi Parliament Act would, among other things, enshrine the right of self-determination for Sámi into Finnish law — a problem that the United Nations has repeatedly called on Finland to rectify.
Sámi topics are typically underreported in Finnish mainstream media outlets, but after the Euronews story was published on Thursday morning, the topic picked up traction online.
In a Saturday morning television interview with public broadcaster Yle, Marin was asked about the Act, and said she was "saddened" by the lack of progress of the legislation. "I think this is one of the most important human rights issues in Finland, and we should be able to resolve this issue without further ado," she added.
It is believed to be her first public comments on the matter since mid-June.
Marin went on to apologise to the Sámi people, but said she hoped the matter could still be brought before parliament during the autumn session.
The Vice President of the Sámi Parliament Anni Koivisto, who is from Sanna Marin's Social Democrats, told Euronews it was good that the prime
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