The Reindeer Committee was tasked in 2021 to review the Reindeer Husbandry Act, and among other things, propose new legislation regarding who should govern small game hunting and fishing in reindeer herding areas in the mountains.
The background was the notable Girjas case in the Supreme Court from 2020, which established that it was the Girjas Sami village and not the state that had the right to decide on hunting and fishing within the village's boundaries.
Like Girjas
According to an interim report presented by the committee last autumn, it is highly likely that other Sami villages have the same rights as Girjas, and therefore future laws must be formulated according to those rights.
This conclusion is likely the basis for the government's decision to disband the committee, which was announced without warning last week, writes Eric M Runesson, who is also a Supreme Court justice and a member of the Swedish Academy.
"It seems to be politically difficult to swallow," he writes.
Wriggling out of it?
In connection with the decision, the government announced that a new inquiry will be set up as soon as possible.
"Some interest groups have applauded the decision, which still seems a bit strange, since it comes now when almost all the investigative material has been gathered. It's basically only the political stance on the facts and the legal assessments that remain," writes Runesson.
He wonders if the government is trying to wriggle out of the Girjas verdict to "avoid doing the right thing."
"I expect responsible politicians to convincingly explain how it is."
