Neglected Saami language service
The northern Finnish municipality of Enontekiö has been given a conditional fine of 5000 EUR for neglecting Saami language service in their day care services. The fine is the first of its kind ever given in Finland.
All municipalities in Finland are required to provide child care services in Finnish, Swedish and Saami language where needed, the Finnish Child Day Care Act calls. However, the Municipality of Enontekiö failed to provide these services. The finnish Minority Ombudsmann, Johanna Suurpää therefore gave the conditional fine to the northern Finnish municipality for neglec ting the act. The case is now before the administrative court.
For the town of Kilpisjärvi it was impossible to hire a care provider for the village’s only Saami child, finnish YLE reports. Head of the Enontekiö municipality, Pentti Keskitalo, said to YLE that several attempts to find a Sami care provider in the village was unsuccessfull. It is very hard to find people to such jobs in remote villages like Kilpisjärvi.
According to official statistics some 1800 Finns speak Saami language as a mother language.
