Norwegian MFA Closes Consulate General in Murmansk

As of 1 July, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs closes the Consulate General in Murmansk for public services. It will re-open when the situation allows, the MFA writes in a recent press release.

“The framework within which the Norwegian Consulate General in Murmansk shall promote Norwegian interests has been significantly narrowed over time. We cannot operate as usual when there is next to no activity. We will therefore close the Consulate General on a temporary basis, however, we will re-open it as soon as the situation allows. There are few indications that the situation will improve, and the closing may thus be long-lasting”, Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Labor) says in the press statement.

Murmansk is a particular region with a strong military presence. This characterizes both the conditions in the region as well as the framework for operations”, the Norwegian MFA writes.

“These are also demanding times for our two other stations in Russia, however, the situation in Murmansk is quite different. Having a station in the North that can promote Norwegian interests is important for Norway. The closing [of the station] is thus temporary”, Huitfeldt says.

There will still be regular operations at the embassy in Moscow as well as at the consulate general in St. Petersburg. The MFA writes that the embassy in Moscow till take over consular and other tasks from the service district of the consulate general in Murmansk on a temporary basis. This applies to the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk counties, as well as the autonomous republic of Karelia.

This article was originally published in Norwegian and has been translated by HNN's Elisabeth Bergquist.