Iceland’s elderly protest at “shortages and cutbacks”
A large group of elderly citizens gathered outside the Icelandic parliament (‘Alþingi’) yesterday to express their concern at what they see as a lack of interest among the political class in issues concerning them.
“Older people in Iceland are suffering shortages and the politicians and powers that be think that’s OK,” says Helgi Pétursson, spokesperson of elderly citizens’ association Grái herinn and organiser of the demo.
“We have no choice,” he explains. “They’ve been working on legislation [on older people’s issue] for eleven years, but the experts have been advising to steer clear of passing it as it’s a load of ‘stuff and nonsense’. There is no political will to help older people.”
MORE: Icelanders go to the polls on 29 October
A statement from Grái herinn indicates that wages for older people need urgently to be raised and welfare cutbacks scrapped.
“We will be looking and listening to see what politicians have to offer and will vote accordingly,” says Pétursson. “There are around 50,000 of us and we shall be urging people to vote where they think things are most likely to improve.”