Minister of Finance wants state to sell Íslandsbanki

Bjarni Benediktsson, Minister of Finance and Economy says that the state needs to pull out of its extensive ownerships of Icelandic banks, sell Íslandsbanki and keep a 35- 45 % share of Landsbankinn. 

He said this interviewed by RÚV evening news last night. The Icelandic state is the sole owner of Íslandsbanki and owns a 98 percent share in Landsbankinn. 

A Gallup poll conducted in October however showed that the majority of the Icelandic public is positive towards the state owning a majority of the banks and also that people did not place very much trust in the banks since the economic crash in 2008. 

Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir however said to RÚV that she doesn't believe that the state will sell their banks this year and that it's important for the state to have a majority of shares in Landsbankinn.