According to Marie B. Hagsgård, lawyer and expert of the Council of Europe's Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities, Sami's statutory rights can be divided into two parts: firstly, they have the right to use land that is in the reindeer herding area, and partly they have the right to influence when authorities make decisions that affect them. 

"Authorities should strive to make decisions so that the Sami can support them," explains Marie B. Hagsgård.

Poorly informed

The first right, to use reindeer pasture, only accrues to Sami who are in Sami villages. The other, the right to influence, has the same rights to all Sami people, according to Marie B. Hagsgård.  

"But many of the Sami who are not in Sami villages are poorly informed about their rights," she says. 

Criticism against Sweden

Sweden has previously received criticism from international bodies for being poor at precisely giving the Sami influence.  

Marie B. Hagsgård describes the background to the legislation as an endeavor to give minorities the same opportunities as persons belonging to the majority. 

"Their culture has historically been discriminated against and therefore they need authorities to promote their efforts to maintain it," she says.