Category: Politics and Society

Hanna Katrín Friðriksson is a Member of Parliament for The Liberal Reform Party.

The high interest environment is like a magic trap that literally absorbs money

1 Dec Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, Member of Parliament for The Liberal Reform Party, says that if interest charges in Iceland were not the third largest item of expenditure, as they are today, then it would be possible to ensure sustainable prosperity alongside responsible economic management instead of continuing to borrow money to keep up the standard of living.

The biggest budget increase for law enforcement in years

29 Nov The government plans to increase funding for law enforcement by ISK 2.5 billion from the previously reported budget, which is more increase than has been dedicated to law enforcement for years. The biggest change is the increased contribution to the police, which will amount to ISK 1.4 billion, if the parliament agrees to the proposals.

The ministers are visititing to assess the situation first hand and meet Ukranian leaders.

The minister of Foreign Affairs is in Kiev

28 Nov Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir Iceland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs is now in Kiev, tha capital of Ukraine to show support for the Ukranian nation. She is in a group of the Prime Ministers of Scandinavia and the Baltic Countries.

The Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), brings together around 60 of the Assembly’s members, who will meet in Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik today.

PACE is meeting in Reykjavík today

25 Nov The Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is meeting in Reykjavik today in Harpa Concert Hall. Over 60 Assembly members from 46 countries will attend the meeting.

The number of immigrants in Iceland has more than doubled in the last ten years.

Immigrants in Iceland just over 60,000

24 Nov Immigrants in Iceland were 61,148, or 16.3% of the population on January 1st 2022. This was reported on the website of Statistics Iceland. The number of immigrants continues to grow, but last year they were 15.5% of the country’s population (57,126).

An accident at the Akranes Sports Hall

16 Nov A construction crane fell on top of Akranes Sports Hall yesterday, causing damage to the roof. When the crane fell young kids were training in the building. Thankfully noone was hurt. The street was closed off while attempts were madeto get the construction crane off the roof.

Bolungarvík harbour in the Westfjords of Iceland.

The use of fish skin in Iceland attracts attention in France

15 Nov Sustainable Icelandic fishing and the full use of marine fishing products was the main topic of the news analysis show Nous, les Européens, or We Europeans that was shown in France earlier this month on the television channel France 2.

Bjarni Benediktsson, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs has been in the spotlight after the report on the sale of Íslandsbanki was published yesterday.

Unrealistic to push for 122 ISK per share in the Íslandsbanki sale

15 Nov Bjarni Benediktsson, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, says that it would have been completely unrealistic to try to chase the price in the government’s subsequent offer of shares in Íslandsbanki to 122 ISK per share.

Custody extended until November 24th

11 Nov Two men suspected of planning to commit terrorist acts in Iceland this fall were remanded in custody yester, until November 24. According to Sveinn Andri Sveinsson, the defense lawyer for one of the men, they have both appealed the custody order to Landsréttur.

Unemployment in Iceland was 2.8% in October.

Unemployment at its lowest point

11 Nov The national unemployment rate was 2.8% last month and had not changed from the previous month. The Directorate of Labor now predicts that the unemployment rate will not change much in November, and will bein the range between 2.8% and 3.1%.

Sveinn Andri Sveinsson, who is the defensive lawyer for one of the suspects in the terrorism case, thinks that after a psychiatric evaluation the grounds f

Considers the criteria changed in the terrorism case

10 Nov Sveinn Andri Sveinsson, the defense lawyer for one of the men suspected of planning a terrorist attack, says that the criteria for keeping the men in custody has changed due to the outcome of their psychiatric evaluation. The custody based on the public interest expires today.

The Reykjavík Global Forum - Women Leaders starts today in Harpa.

Reykjavík Global Forum - Women Leaders starts in Harpa today

8 Nov There will be a lot going on in Harpa conference center when the Reykjavík Global Forum – Women Leaders starts today. This is the fifth time the conference is held here in Iceland but behind the project is the government of Iceland as well as many others. Iceland’s former president, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, is a special patron for the Reykjavík Global Forum – Women Leaders.

Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson said he was proud of his results although he was aiming for the top seat.

Happy if his issues will be successful

7 Nov “To have an election like this against the chairman of the Independence Party is a very positive message. I’m very proud of that and proud of my supporters,” Guðlaugur Þór Þór Þórðarson told mbl.is reporter when the results came out yesterday, but Bjarni Benediktsson was victorious in their fight for the chairmanship.

Bjarni Benediktsson continues to be the chairman of the Independence Party.

Benediktsson gets a decicive lead to chair the Independence Party

7 Nov Bjarni Benediktsson, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, got 59 percent of the votes for the leading position in the Independence Party whereas his challenger, Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, the Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate, got 40% of the votes.

Reykjavík has the highest property taxes of all the municipalities in the capital region and it doesn´t look like it is changing any time soon.

"Reckless increase in property taxes"

3 Nov “This is a reckless increase in these property taxes. It’s very burdensome for Reykjavík businesses, absolutely,” says Ingólfur Bender, the chief economist of the Federation of Icelandic Industries (SI), but the budget for the next five years was introduced in the City council this week. It states that the same margin rate for property taxes is expected next year.