As of 2018[update], it was not recognised as a political or legislative entity by the Russian federal nor local Murmansk Oblast governments under the pretext of "combatting separatism"; it remains a purely representative organ with unclear relations with the government, because establishing new legislative organs requires amendments to Russian federal and regional legislation.
[3] A suggestion to have the Russian Federation pick representatives to the new assembly was voted down by a clear majority.
Assembly, the Kola Sámi have achieved their most unifying and representative structure to date;" the extent to which the Murmansk regional authorities are prepared to work with this body remains unclear.
[2][5] During preparation for the planned 3rd Congress of the Russian Sámi in 2014, Russian authorities worked to establish a new gathering, the Congress of the Indigenous People of the Northern Kola – Sámi, with the goal of sidelining the Kola Sámi Assembly in favor of a new organization more aligned with local governmental officials.
6 February 1868), the Kola Sobbar (Кóладаг сóббарь) was established as the first elected body to represent Russian Sámi.