Norway has asked Russia to reduce the amount charged for damage caused by unauthorised grazing of Norwegian reindeer in Russia’s Pasvik Nature Reserve from 47 million kroner to 50,000 kroner.
“The Norwegian side is not prepared to pay 47 million Norwegian kroner and is offering the lowest amount for a settlement based on the 2007 pattern of compensation – 50,000 Norwegian kroner for damages caused by 40 reindeer during 65 days in the Russian reserve in 2023,” is stated in the reserve’s message following the meeting of the Directorate of Agriculture of Norway and Pasvik representatives.
From December 2022 to February 2023, a herd of 40 domestic Norwegian reindeer crossed the Russian-Norwegian border along the Paatsjoki River and fed on reindeer moss in a specially protected nature reserve in Russia. The directorate of the Russian reserve has demanded that Oslo pay 47 million kroner ($4.4 million) in damages for the time the reindeer were in Russia’s Pasvik Nature Reserve, as well as 50,000 kroner ($4,700) for each animal that crossed into Russia and grazed in the reserve.
The parties will hold two meetings in the near future to settle the issue. At the first meeting, they will approve a model of compensation for damages, which will be held in the Russian village of Nickel. At the second meeting, the parties will discuss the method for estimating the damages from reindeer grazing. In the future, this could be included in the 1977 agreement between the Russian Federation and Norway on the mutual return of reindeer crossing the state border. As there are still no standards, the amount of compensation raises questions with every incident.
