The dispute between the Malmi Airfield Association and the City of Helsinki has been pending in the district court for a year, and the first ruling has now been made. In the decision, the district court has approved the City’s claim for eviction. Malmi Airfield Association has announced that today, 23 December 2020, it will submit a request for suspension of execution to the Court of Appeal within the office hours.
The process will continue in the coming years
Following the decision of the district court, the process continues, as the decision is not final. According to information received from Malmi Airfield Association, the association will investigate the matter with its lawyers and decide on further action during the remaining days of the year. In any case, aviation operations can continue normally at Helsinki-Malmi Airport for the time being.
In the spring 2020 municipal elections, the changed situation must be assessed
Municipal elections will be held in April, which may also be decisive for Malmi Airport. The situation has changed significantly since the initial decisions were made. Aviation is changing, and significant, protected natural values have emerged in the field area, and the costs of building have proven to be unsustainable in terms of economic viability. In the detailed zoning plan, the area is an airport, and no changes are pending yet.
Malmi has also highlighted the legitimacy of direct democracy
The next city council will decide e.g. on organizing the first municipal consultative referendum in Helsinki. The initiative was founded by former Mayor of Helsinki, Mr. Raimo Ilaskivi, the Lex Malmi initiator, Mr. Kim Korkkula and the chairman of the Friends of Malmi Airport Association, Mr. Timo Hyvönen.
A sufficient number of supporters has already been gathered, and the new council will have to decide whether it supports the opinion of the citizens. The opinions and positions of council candidates on this and on Malmi’s continued aviation use are collected on the malmivaalit.fi website to help voters.
Processes proceed on several fronts
In the case of Malmi Airport, several other processes are underway at various levels of the administrative court, the City of Helsinki Audit Board, the Ministry of the Environment, the European Court of Human Rights and several other institutions.
Decisions by the Ministry of the Environment are expected in 2021 on the proposal for the protection of the airport area (filed in 2015). A prohibition of endangerment is in effect in the airport area until the decision in the matter becomes final.
In addition to the Malmi Airfield Association, the keeping of the airport is advocated by the Friends of Malmi Airport Association (www.malmiairport.fi), whose purpose is to maintain Malmi Airport in its current location and to develop, promote and support the airport’s operations. The purpose of the association’s activities is also to nurture and protect the diverse nature and built cultural sites and environments of the Malmi area, to nurture their character and special features, and to promote their sustainable management and use. In addition, the purpose of the association is to document, store and transmit information related to the intangible and tangible cultural heritage of the area.
Malmi Airport Association: https://www.efhf.fi
Airport area protection proposal: https://www.malmiairport.fi/en/press-release-15-october-2015-application-filed-to-protect-malmi-airport-as-a-whole/
Municipal initiative for a municipal referendum on maintaining Helsinki-Malmi Airport in aviation use (in Finnish): https: //www.kuntalaisaloite.fi/fi/aloite/6466
Friends of Malmi Airport Association: https://www.malmiairport.fi/en
Municipal candidates’ views in the matter of Malmi Airport (in Finnish): https://www.malmivaalit.fi