Norway to build brand new Consulate General in Murmansk

“That Norway now plans for a permanent building for the Consulate General in Murmansk tells all about how important Norway considers a diplomatic presence in Northwest-Russia,” says Consul General, Erik Svedahl to the Barents Observer.

The 25-years leasing deal with city authorities in Murmansk on today’s building the Sofia Perovskaya Street close to the regional Duma expires this October.

The Norwegian flag will be lowered for the last time in front of today’s Consulate General, one of the oldest buildings in the centre of Murmansk.

Built before Second World War, the Norwegians have spent millions on renovating.

The green-colored building, originally a school, is one of the most attractive premises near the city centre. No wonder the city authorities want the building back. Murmansk regional Duma is across the street and the Governor’s offices is a stone throw away.

Temporary at 6th floor

While waiting Statsbygg, the Norwegian government’s agency for construction and property affairs, to come up with architecture for the new Consulate General building, the diplomatic mission will move temporary to an ordinary office building up the hill from today’s location.

At Projezd Kapitana Tarana 25, the diplomats will stay at the sixth floor until 2024 when the new building will open its new doors.

The new Consulate General is to be built at Zavoskaya Street, a side road between Lenin Prospekt and Kirov Prospekt. Not least, the new Consulate General will be across the Street from Finland’s Consulate in Murmansk making the neighbourhood into the only diplomatic area in Russia’s Arctic capital.

Norway has an Embassy in Moscow and a Consulate General in St. Petersburg. The Murmansk Consulate is also responsible for Arkhangelsk Oblast and Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

Established in 1993, the Norwegians opened their consulate in Murmansk. The same year, Russia opened a Consulate General in Kirkenes.