ProKarelia is a Finnish irredentist group that works for the return to Finland of Finnish Karelia, Petsamo, Salla and some islands in Gulf of Finland ceded to the Soviet Union in past treaties in Moscow and Paris (See Karelian question in Finnish politics).[1] As a preliminary goal the group hopes to overturn the articles of the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947 and remove Finnish responsibility in starting the Continuation War.[1]
ProKarelia strives to make the Karelian question better known. According to the organization itself, ProKarelia's ideas do not include aggressive actions, nor do the association participate in demonstrations.
ProKarelia publishes Internet pages in eight languages. It mails articles to decision-makers all over the world. ProKarelia also publishes the Karelia Klubi journal four times a year.
ProKarelia's spokepersons are Heikki A. Reenpää and Antero Siljola. Supporters include many professors, generals and researchers.
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In the spring of 2009 ProKarelia organized a series of agitation events with local member organisations of the National Defence Training Association of Finland. The events demanded the overturning of the criminal convictions by the war responsibility trials in Finland. As part of the program the documentary film Soviet Story was shown.[2][3] The event in Tampere sparked a protest demonstration by the Finnish Anti-Fascist Committee.[3][4] A criminal complaint by members of the anti-Fascist Committee[5] has led to a criminal investigation on suspicion of incitement to ethnic or racial hatred.[6][7][8]
In 2009 the activists of Pro Karelia tried to block the building of the Nord Stream operated gas pipeline between Russia and Western Europe. Making a large mining claim of the sea floor between Finland and Estonia, the actual purpose was to gain a barging chip to require the return of the Russian territories lost to Soviet Union during the second world war. The mining estate was newer granted, but the bad faith operation was widely reported in the media.[9][10]