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Sunday 05.02.2012

Money bails out the Kola Peninsula's Saami radio

But the Kola Saami Radio still has accumulated debts of 256.00 RUB (EUR 7.000).

The Norwegian Barents Secretariat has given 45,000 NOK to the Kola Peninsula's cash-strapped Saami radio and hopes also other organizations will assist the only radio station in Russia broadcasting in the Saami language.



"Russia can not be without Saami media and therefore we give a grant to secure the continued broadcasting," said Rune Rafaelsen, head of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat, in an interview on NRK Saami Radio.

As the Barents Observer recently reported, the Kola Saami Radio is on the brink of bankruptcy and might be closed. The Kola Saami Radio has accumulated debts of 256.00 RUB (EUR 7.000).

The 45.000 NOK (EUR 5.000) is not enough, but Rafaelsen said he hopes it will trigger other granting organizations to assist the radio. The Saami journalist union, Sámi journalisttaid searvi, has also given 10.000 NOK (1.100 EUR) to help their colleagues in Lovozero on the Kola Peninsula where the radio station is located.

The Kola Saami Radio has received the most funding of any other recent project from international organizations and governments, but the grants were only for the start-up costs – not for the daily operations.