Cross-border crime or cooperation?

While Norwegian and Russian authorities discuss the establishment of a visa-free cooperation zone in the two countries’ borderlands, skeptics voice concern for a possible boost in cross-border crimes. In a wide coverage of the border zone initiative, Norwegian state broadcaster NRK last Saturday painted a gloomy picture of likely consequences of a Norwegian-Russian border zone. More crimes will be the result, the reportage concluded. As previously reported by BarentsObserver, also head of police in the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes believes more Norwegian-Russian cooperation will lead to more cross-border crimes. Interviewed by NRK, Mr. Håkon Skulstad says the more open border will be an invitation to Russian and Norwegian criminals to join forces. BarentsObserver has for years monitored cross-border contacts and cooperation in the Barents Region and see the zone rather as an unprecedented opportunity for extensive economic, cultural and societal cross-border cooperation. We are convinced that only through cooperation can the east-west divides in the region be overcome. The Barents Cooperation is based on the idea of more security through more openness and more cooperation. That idea should be followed up on all levels by the countries involved in the regional cooperation. The proposal currently discussed by the foreign ministries of Norway and Russia includes the establishment of exclusive travel conditions for the people living within a 30-50 km range from the border. The Norwegian police boss’ expressed concern about more cross-border crimes following the border zone establishment is thus implicitly also a strong signal of distrust with the people living in the nearby Russian border towns. Over the last 15 years, hundreds of thousands of Russians have visited the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes. That has not resulted in a higher level of crime problems. On the contrary, there is only a handful cases of serious crime cases linked with the visiting Russians. The Barents Cooperation was established as an initiative to help stimulate contacts, trade and friendship across the East-West border in the European High North. The border zone project is a valuable contribution to that initiative. And in a wider perspective – what is needed along all the European East-West border is not more closed borders and less cooperation, but the opposite. Security is strengthened by openness and contacts. Cross-border divides are overcome by cross-border cooperation.