Norwegian-Russian helicopter dispute
Norwegian authorities last year gave the Russian mining company Trust Arktikugol a 50.000 NOK fine for helicopter flights in a protected nature are at Svalbard. The Russian company refuses to pay. Now the parts meet in court.
The Trust Arktikugol in summer 2007 flew a film team to the Ice Bay, a protected nature area, without permission from local Norwegian authorities, newspaper Svalbardposten reports. For that, the Russians were fined 50.000 NOK. The Trust however refuses to pay, arguing that the flights are not a violation of the Svalbard Treaty, and that Norway does not have monopoly rights over commercial flights in the area, newspaper Nordlys reports. The Trust Arktikugol is only allowed to fly between Barentsburg and Longyearbyen, the Svalbard administration argues.
