The hope was that Piteå would become a Sami administrative municipality already last year.

The disappointment was great when the municipality then said that nothing happened for financial reasons.

But last week the municipal board in Piteå decided to stand behind the proposal to submit the application this year.

However, the application faces strong resistance from social services and the school, Piteå Tidning reports.

Increased costs

In a statement, the education administration writes that it will be tough to open a Sami-speaking pre-school department and that it would mean an increased cost of approximately SEK 2.5 to 3 million per year.

They also point to the difficulties in recruiting staff.

"The preschool has advertised several times but has not received any applicants.

We have also had difficulty buying in consultants who know the language.

In our contacts with Sami administrative municipalities in the surrounding area, we find that even these municipalities find it very difficult to appoint staff with Sami as their mother tongue," they write.

The social service also points to the difficulties in recruiting staff who speak Sami.

They also believe that it imposes a requirement to keep places in special housing empty for people with knowledge of Sami culture, which is not an option as the business today has a long queue for the available places, according to them.

"For the past 15 years, we have had one or two users of Sami origin in our special accommodation.

It also doesn't feel right to think about Sami interior design, culture, and when there are people with a different background who live in our accommodation".

"It's nonsense"

But Ulf Nårsa, chairman of Samer in Piteå Älvdal, disagrees.

- It's nonsense, the social service has no idea what background people have.

We do not have a census of the Sami population and the older generation does not go out and display signs with the Sami.

You have called for consultation now, what do you hope for there?

- I really hope that this is carried out.

Because it is recognition for the Sami population in Piteå.