"The risk has been greatly overestimated"

Stefán Kristjánsson from Grindavík, who is the director and owner of the fish processing company Einhamar Seafood and a farmer, says it is long past time to open access to the town of Grindavík.

As of Monday, access to the town will be unimpeded, but the executive committee for ground disturbances at Grindavík announced this at an information meeting on Wednesday.

Have suffered due to the lack of access to the town

"The risk has been greatly overestimated and we have suffered for it. But I'm happy with this opening and it will be a good day for Grindavík," Kristjánsson says.

Article on Iceland Monitor

Access to Grindavík will be unimpeded

Despite many volcanic eruptions and endless earthquakes, Kristjánsson has tried his best to stay in his house in Grindavík, run his own business and farm. However, he has been ordered to evacuate the area several times.

Stopped suing the state

In February, he sued the Icelandic government due to the authorities' ban on his going to Grindavík, staying in his own house and his own business. He decided a few weeks later to drop the lawsuit, as the residents were allowed to stay in the town again.

Article on Iceland Monitor

Suing the Icelandic state for banning him to go to his home

"I've more or less been in Grindavík since all this commotion started," he says. The company has been run during this time, but seven to eight of his employees live in the town.

He hopes that Þorbjörn and Stakkavík can start business anew. Stakkavík's building is useless, but Vísis' activities are in full swing.

"Thank God for this Grindavík Committee"

Asked if he expects more life to come to the town after the weekend, he says:

“Yes, I think so. There is no risk and never has been in my opinion. This has all been exaggerated in this regard. But thank God for this Grindavík committee. Finally, something started to happen when it started working and construction started immediately in the town."

Article on Iceland Monitor

Form an executive committee for Grindavík affairs

Desk vets at MAST bullied us

Stefán does not question the government's greetings and says that they went too far with their decision to close access to Grindavík.

"We were treated like little children. We know exactly what we are talking about. We don't need a desk team or civil defense to tell us what to do. Then some desk vets at MAST (Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority) have also bullied us farmers. We have had sheep in Grindavík for generations. They don't really care about it and want all the money to be stolen and to ban livestock altogether in Grindavík."

Kristjánsson says he has 40 sheep in Grindavík. He says that he has taken over the finances from his father and his daughter will take over from him.

"We moved the cattle between towns when it was the hottest and then sneaked it back in." We are not taking it out of town again."