The archipelago of Orkney (or Orkney), north of Scotland, is unhappy with its current relationship with the United Kingdom and is studying “alternative forms of government”. And one of the solutions could be to become Norwegian territory again.
The islands were under Norwegian and Danish control until 1472, when they were presented to Scotland as collateral for Margaret of Denmark’s dowry for her marriage to the future King James III of Scotland.
“We have been part of the Nordic realm for much longer than we have been part of the UK,” Orkney Council leader James Stockan told the BBC.
A motion was tabled by Stockan to examine Orkney’s “northern connections”, but the solution could also go through a statute similar to other dependencies of the British crown, such as the Channel Islands (Guernsey and Jersey), the Isle of Man (between Scotland and Northern Ireland) or even the Falklands (Malvinas for Argentines), in the South Atlantic.
Or even like the Faroe Islands, an autonomous area of Denmark.
Stockan complains about the lack of funding to replace the fleet of ferries to the islands, for example. “We cannot continue as we are,” he said.
The motion will be discussed on Tuesday.
According to the Scottish Government, quoted by the BBC, the Council of the Isles will receive £89.7 million (€104 million) to fund services in 2023-24, with an additional £4.6 million (€5.4 million ) of the 10% increase in municipal taxes.
Source: DN
