The idea comes from the Mayor of Lappeenranta, Kimmo Järv.

Finland proposed to build a NATO base in the city of Lappeenranta, in the province of South Karelia. It is located half an hour from the border with Russia.

According to the local portal Yle , the mayor of Lappeenranta, Kimmo Järva, expressed the hope that after the state joins the Alliance, a NATO base can be located in the city. This idea arose when talk about Finland’s joining the military-political bloc revived.Play Video

The issue of deployment of the Alliance contingent in Lappeenranta was not discussed by the country’s Defense Forces. There have been no political discussions about the construction of the base either, but Järva hopes that after Finland joins NATO, active investments will begin in the defense of South Karelia.

“I was thinking in particular about the airport. It will certainly be available if the armed forces wish it. As for the location of the school of the ground forces and the Defense Forces – whether there will be any changes, I cannot say, since I am not an expert “, Jarva said.

According to the Mayor of Lappeenranta, progress in Finland’s accession to NATO gives hope to all of South Karelia. This creates a sense of security and increases confidence in the region among businesses.

Finland and Sweden join NATO: what is known

In mid-May, Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO. On the same day, the ambassadors of the Alliance met to start negotiations on the accession of the Scandinavian countries to the military-political bloc. However , Turkey blocked the process with its opposition .

The government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan demands that the Scandinavian countries lift sanctions on the supply of weapons from Turkey and stop supporting terrorists. This refers to the representatives of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the Fethullah Gülen Movement.

The Turkish President said that until the demands of his country are met, Finland and Sweden will not become members of NATO. And Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called the concerns of the Erdogan government “legitimate.”

At the NATO summit in Madrid, Finland and Sweden were officially invited to join the military-political bloc. Before the start of the event, a memorandum was signed between the Scandinavian countries and Turkey. The three states are now “obliged to give each other full support against security threats.”

Erdogan later stressed once again that Finland and Sweden must comply with his country’s demands. Only then will Turkey ratify NATO expansion.

(C)UNIAN 2022