– Should the state channel NRK be the one to decide who is “good enough Sami”? The circuit board is circling Sandra’s identity and recommends NRK to end the personal persecution, writes the circuit team in a press release signed by Frank Valø, circuit leader for the Gáisi constituency.
The constituency includes several municipalities in Troms, including the large city of Tromsø.
The background is that NRK has investigated whether Sandra Borch (Sp) meets the criteria to stand for election to the Sami Parliament. This is based on the fact that when Borch wanted to enter the Sámi Parliament in 2013, a person from his home village of Lavangen submitted a complaint. The person believed that Borch was not qualified to stand for election.
The constituency board for the Center Party in the Gáisi constituency believes that this matter was resolved already in 2013.
The case has also caused reactions among several people, but the broadcasting manager has vouched for it.
– We believe it is of public interest to investigate how the criteria for standing in the Sámi Parliament’s electorate are practiced, given the Sámi Parliament’s political power. An important part of NRK’s mission is to question power structures and investigate whether democratic rules of the game are followed, said NRK CEO Vibeke Fürst Haugen to Journalisten earlier this week.
Borch himself has complained about the NRK case to the PFU.
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**Interview with Frank Valø, Circuit Leader for the Gáisi Constituency**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us, Frank. Your constituency recently issued a press release urging NRK to cease what you termed as “personal persecution” of Sandra Borch. Can you elaborate on why you feel NRK is overstepping its bounds in this investigation?
**Frank Valø:** Certainly. The issue here isn’t just about Sandra Borch; it’s about the principles of identity and belonging within the Sami community. To have a state broadcaster like NRK dictate who qualifies as “good enough Sami” is, in our view, inappropriate and damaging. This matter was resolved back in 2013, and bringing it up again feels like an attack on her identity.
**Editor:** NRK’s CEO, Vibeke Fürst Haugen, has defended their investigation, stating that it is a matter of public interest to ensure democratic processes are upheld. How do you respond to this justification?
**Frank Valø:** While I understand the need to scrutinize power structures, the way NRK has approached this situation seems more like a vendetta than a journalistic endeavor. Public interest should not come at the expense of undermining an individual’s personal identity and dignity.
**Editor:** Some members of the public might argue that transparency in political qualification is vital for democracy. How do you reconcile that view with your stance?
**Frank Valø:** Transparency is crucial, but it should never morph into personal attacks or character assassinations. There are already established criteria for the Sami Parliament, and the public should trust the community’s decision-making processes rather than rely on external validation or scrutiny.
**Editor:** As this debate unfolds, what do you hope the outcome will be, both for Sandra Borch and the relationship between NRK and the Sami community?
**Frank Valø:** I hope we can put this matter to rest and allow Sandra to focus on her political work without the threat of personal evaluation from an external entity. Additionally, I hope this sparks a broader discussion about who gets to define Sami identity and how we can better support our own narratives instead of having them dictated by media.
**Editor:** Reflecting on this incident, do you believe that media outlets like NRK are equipped to handle matters of cultural identity sensitively and fairly? Should there be limits on their authority when it comes to ethnic or cultural representation? We invite readers to share their thoughts.
