Västerbotten County’s chief legal officer doesn’t see it the same way. Concerns highlighted by the Sámi representatives were put to Per Lundström by SVT, Sweden’s national broadcaster. He made clear that if there was a danger of reindeer and rally cars crossing paths, stages will be cancelled – but it would be on safety grounds, not to protect vast swaths of grazing land.
“A special section must be cancelled if it cannot be carried out safely due to reindeer in connection with the section,” Lundström told SVT. “If traffic safety cannot be ensured, the section must not be carried out.”
Further tensions were raised when Marklund wrote andopen letter to Umeå Municipality, asking what it would do to “alleviate the damage that the municipality has inflicted on Ran Samí village and our reindeer herders through this process”.
“Human rights are being put out of play within Umeå municipality with this year’s implementation of the WRC event,” continued Marklund’s letter, “and the municipality should take action.”
There was little interest from the council in replying to such discourse; Umeå municipal councillor Hans Lindberg refused to comment, while business director Pete Juneblad simply told SVT: “We are obliged to respond to Ran’s letter.”
On Friday, February 7, the Ran village then filed appeals against the permits for three stages: Vännäs, Västervik and Umeå – the latter in its full-length configuration, not the shorter Sprint variant. If successful, it could mean three Saturday stages disappear and, crucially, all of Sunday’s running might be called off.
Part of that appeal references not only the special stages themselves, but also the liaison sections encroaching on grazing areas.