Katrín Júlíusdóttir

Industry minister Katrín Júlíusdóttir said at the end of today’s government meeting the likelihood is that an agreement on the Magma issue will be reached in the coming days. “Yes, very much so, we’re getting close to [a solution]. It could happen today, or in the next few days.”

She went on to say that no rift has formed in the government as a result of the sale of natural energy resources to Magma Energy. “This rift, which has been fabricated by the media, does not exist, and we are reaching an agreement.”

Asked about the extent of the disagreement, Katrín said that the majority parties are focussing on different aspects of the issue. “The rift is not as deep, of course we have our different priorities on the issue, but on the fundamentals we are on the same page.”

At the end of the government meeting, another meeting began at the government offices. Prime minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, finance minister Steingrímur J. Sigfússon and minister for economic affairs Gylfi Magnússon were all in attendance.

Source: mbl.is
Image: Alþingi

Labels: Magmagate

Finance minister Steingrímur J. Sigfússon says that the coalition government is not in danger of breaking down over Magmagate.

“We will solve this problem, as we have done with others, and we are working on that. We will carry on with this.”

Steimgrímur declined to comment at length on the issue after the conclusion of this morning’s meeting, which was attended by the prime minister and the business minister.

“It is not opportune, I think, for us to comment on this to the media in depth further than we have done already, before we have reached land on what we are working with. This was a good meeting, and the group of cabinet ministers and representatives from the political parties are now working on this issue together.”

Source: mbl.is
Image: Alþingi

Labels: Magmagate

Five cabinet ministers sitting on the committee set up to deal with the sale of natural resources to Canadian company Magma Energy will meet tomorrow morning, along with the party chairmen and vice party chairmen from the Left Green Party and Social Democratic Alliance. Party representatives from the Industry Committee are also expected to attend. The meeting will take place at the office of the prime minister at midday.

The five cabinet ministers that will be in attendance tomorrow are PM Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, finance minister Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, environment minister Svandís Svavarsdóttir, industry minister Katrín Júlíusdóttir and economy and trade minister Gylfi Magnússon.

Others who have been called to the meeting are Guðfríður Lilja Grétarsdóttir, party chairwoman for the Left Greens, minister representing the Left Greens on the Industry Commitee Atli Gíslason, head of the Industry Committee and vice party chairman for the Social Democratic Alliance Skúli Helgason, and vice party chairwoman for the Social Democrats Þórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir.

Labels: Magmagate

Recently a very controversial deal was made between Icelandic energy company HS Orka, and Canadian company Magma Energy, which many Icelanders have interpreted as the effective auctioning off of Iceland’s natural energy resources to a foreign company. The deal is expected to impact the lives of generations to come.

World-famous Icelandic singer Björk Guðmundsdóttir and some of her companions have requested a thorough review of the so-called “Magma issue” (or for the purposes of this article, Magmagate). Amongst those who have put also their name to the request are author Oddný Eir Ævarsdóttir, architect Jón Þórísson and special advisor to the nation Eva Joly.

In the submission, it is said that in light of how the course of events leading up to the sale and signing of the contract took place, and because they were controversial and lacked transparency, it is important that an ombudsman for the Alþingi conduct a review to find out whether the public’s best interests have been sufficiently protected.

The ombudsman would also investigate whether the government has handled the affairs legally and following the relevant procedures.

The submission goes on to say that the issue is an enormous one for the Icelandic public, and that those decisions which have been taken over the sale of energy resources will affect the current generation of Icelanders and those to come.

The full submission, in Icelandic, can be found on Morgunblaðið’s website.

Source: mbl.is
Photo: erinc salor

Labels: Björk, Energy, Magmagate