Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.02.2019, Side 2

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2 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • February 1 2019
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Foreign Minister Guðlaugur Þór
Þórðarson said that Brexit had long
been a priority in the ministry. He said
that various scenarios had been drawn up to
evaluate their effect and required measures,
depending on the outcome of Britain’s exit
from the European Union. If nothing changes,
Britain will exit the EU on March 29, 2019.
“We have worked a very long time on this
as a priority. We have laid out more scenarios
than just an exit agreement, including exit
without an agreement. This does not come
as a surprise,” Guðlaugur told RÚV in mid-
January. He said that the Icelandic government
had been in contact and collaboration regarding
Brexit with the British and Iceland’s other
neighbouring and collaborating states.
“We will continue working on this
according to our initiative. We think that we
have gone fairly far in ensuring the most
important aspects, in particular, whether they
involve trade, air traffic, or citizens’ rights.
Thus, we are not starting on this now. Our
biggest problem involves Britain and the EU.
We cannot deal with this because there is
very little trade between Britain and the EU
in which we participate directly or indirectly.
This complicates things for us,” said the
foreign minister.
“Regarding what involves Iceland and
Britain, we cannot complain about the British
response. Far from it. They heavily emphasize
maintaining trade and relations comparable to
what we now have. This may be in several
parts because time is short, and the exit will
move fast. We will have to see to it that there
will be as little disruption to relations as
possible. In addition, we are looking further
ahead, and we have more time to do so.” He
said that the matter involved the EU as much
as the British.
“Now, no one can say joining the EU is a
minor matter because exiting it is no problem.
Even though a democratic vote approves
exiting, doing so is very complicated,” said
Guðlaugur. He noted that European states’
collaboration was diverse. For example,
it involves the EU, European Free Trade
Association (EFTA), European Economic Area
(EEA), Schengen Agreement, NATO, and so
on. If a nation wished to withdraw from any of
these collaborations, it would be desirable for
the process to be smooth and not disrupt trade
and good relations.
Reprinted with permission from Icelandic
News Briefs, published by KOM PR.
Brexit will be priority for a long time
Indigo will acquire at least 49 percent share of WOW
Morgunblaðið – The U.S. investment firm Indigo Partners will
acquire at least a 49 percent share in WOW Air if the purchase of
the airline company goes through. The form of Indigo’s investment
will be a variable loan with a due date after 10 years. Interest will
be paid annually on the principal and accumulated interest through
to the end of the loan period. These are among the key points in the
announcement to bondholders from Skúli Hogenson, WOW Air’s
founder and CEO. However, Indigo’s share could become bigger
if Indigo utilizes its right to convert its loan into new share capital
during this long period, “in accordance with the rules on foreign
ownership.”
Tourists increased by 5.5 percent in 2018
vb.is – The number of foreign airline passengers departing from
Iceland in 2018 exceeded the number in 2017, except in April. Over
the entire year, the number of tourists increased by 5.5 percent. The
departures have more than doubled since 2014. From 2013 to 2018,
the average increase year-over-year was 24.8 percent but it was
greatest from 2015 to 2016 when it reached 40.1 percent. People
from the United States accounted for the most departures in 2018 –
about 695,000. This was 20.5 percent more than in 2017. The total
departures of people from the U.S. and Britain accounted for 42.9
percent of the total departures.
Equal wages certification is historic
Morgunblaðið – The Central Bank of Iceland has qualified
for formal equal wages certification. According to the bank’s
news release, it is the first central bank in the world to do so. BSI,
a certified inspection firm in Iceland, and agent of BSI Group
(British Standards Institution), performed the evaluation. The equal
wages system covers all of the bank’s employees. The system is
a collection of processes, wage criteria, procedures documentation,
etc., to ensure that procedure and decision-making in wage affairs
does not entail sexual discrimination. “The Central Bank of Iceland
amply emphasizes following provisions of law on the equal position
and equal rights of women and men,” the bank’s statement said.
State wants to sell Íslandsbanki and part of Landsbanki
ruv.is – The Icelandic government must reduce its extensive
ownership in the country’s banks and ought to sell Íslandsbanki,
while holding on to a 35 to 40 percent share of Landsbanki,
according to Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Bjarni
Benediktsson. The finance minister hopes it will be possible to
start the sales process during the government’s current term of
office. Most of the nation looks favourably on the state owning a
share in the banks. The Icelandic state is presently the sole owner
of Íslandsbanki and owns a more than 98 percent of Landsbanki.
The “white book” on the financial system was presented this past
December. It encouraged the government to explore the possibility
of selling all of Íslandsbanki and part of its ownership share in
Landsbanki. On the other hand, a new Gallup poll on trust in
the banking system revealed that a large majority of the public
was favourable toward the state’s ownership in the banks. There,
62 percent said they were very or mostly positive towards the
Icelandic state being an owner of commercial banks. By contrast,
only 14 percent said they were very or mostly negative towards
it. The government’s coalition agreement says that the government
wants to find ways to reduce the state’s ownership of financial
companies. “I personally hope that we can start this process with
purposeful steps in this term,” said the finance minister.
Circumcision bill will not be reintroduced
Frettablaðið – Silja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir’s bill proposing to amend
the penal code to ban the circumcision of boys unless medically
justified will not be reintroduced unamended in this session of
parliament. Jewish religious organization around the world severely
criticized the bill, which was introduced in Alþingi’s last session, but
the Judicial Affairs and Education Committee wanted it dismissed
and sent to the Office of the Prime Minister for consideration.
visir.is – Minister of
Education, Science and
Culture Lilja Alfreðsdóttir
said that supporting mass
media operations was an
important measure for society.
A parliamentary bill that
her ministry has prepared
proposes that the state
financially support privately
operated mass media outlets.
Speaking on Radio Bylgjan,
Lilja said that she expected to
present a draft of the bill to the
government next week.
The bill would
include provisions for the
reimbursement of privately
owned mass media. After
fulfilling conditions, they
could be reimbursed for up
to 25 percent of the cost of
gathering or disseminating
news, news-related material,
or discussion of social matters.
“It is so important that there
is balance in the mass media
market regarding democratic
discussion, and that people
can participate in it,” said the
minister.
The bill conforms to the
Nordic model for supporting
mass media. To a large extent,
its points of reference are
to existing Norwegian and
Danish legislation.
The Radio Bylgjan hosts
repeatedly asked Lilja about
the advertising market
and state broadcasting’s
competition with privately
operated media. She replied
that the bill focused solely on
privately operated mass media,
but she did not directly answer
whether taking RÚV (the
state broadcasting network)
out of the advertising market
was a possibility. Reports she
has received have presented
different arguments. In some
places, the experience has been
that the domestic advertising
market shrinks after state-
operated mass media are
removed. Advertising revenues
then flow into major online
companies like Facebook or
Google.
Reprinted with permission
from Icelandic News Briefs,
published by KOM PR.
PROPOSED LEGISLATION AIMS TO
STRENGTHEN MASS MEDIA
Greetings from
Gordon J. Reykdal
Honorary Consul of the
Republic of Iceland
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Edmonton, Alberta
T5S 1L2
Cell: 780.497.1480
E-mail: gjreykdal@gmail.com
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