(Press release from the Icelandic government):
The Foreign Minister of Iceland, Ossur Skarphedinsson, spoke today with Miguel Angel Moratinos, the Foreign Minister of Spain, which holds the Presidency of the European Union.
In their conversation, Mr. Morations stated that the Spanish EU Presidency viewed the Icesave issue and Iceland´s EU application as separate issues, and that the new situation that has arisen in Iceland would not have any impact on EU´s treatment of the application.
This is line with the conversation between the Icelandic Foreign Minister and UK Foreign Minister David Milliband on 7 January, in which Milliband declared that the UK would continue to support Iceland´s EU application. The same view was stated in a conversation between the Icelandic Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir and the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown on 6 January 2010. This position is also in line with the former Swedish EU Presidency and statements made by representatives of the EU commission.
In the conversation with Moratinos, the Mr. Skarphedinsson explained the situation in Iceland following the President´s decision not to sign the Icesave bill, reiterated
Iceland´s vital interests and its determination to honour its international obligations.
espana said “Morationos and Zapatero have to look more for Spain than another countries. Sorry but we have a big bad economics problems, too many people without job 4 millons, with very bad salaries. Do you think that this guys can hold europe if they can´t fix Spain?
I left isceland and I couldn´t take my money, so icelanders must to pay back.”
To start with, you are not from Spain, who are you trying to fool here?
In Spain there are 4 million unemployment. But just count that 35% of those people are students receiven state grants, and they count as unemployed people. In Iceland student don’t have grants but LOAN they have to pay back, and if icelandic students that are not working would be counted then the icelandic unemployment would be around 30% of the people. The government made a good move by promoting in the media unemployed people to go to study. In Iceland if you study you AUTOMATICALLY LOOSE YOUR RIGHT of unemployment pension. THAT DOES NOT HAPEN IN SPAIN. IN SPAIN YOU GET YOUR UNEMPLOYMENT PENSION ( A MAXIMUM OF 1200 EUROS = 216.000 ISK NETO IN YOUR POCKET AFTER TAXES) and even if you choose to study, not only keep your pension, but you also get paid schools fees, and a year allowance of around 5000 euros. Now, IN SPAIN PEOPLE WITHOUT JOBS HAVE A BETTER LIVE THAN UNEMPLOYED ICELANDERS
unemployment money:
Spain:maximum 1200eu/216.000 isk Iceland: 140.000 isk
teachers salary Spain: 1800 euros, Iceland: 900 euros
Grants university students
Spain: around 6000 euros, you don’t have to pay back Iceland: 0 grants ( only a few are granted for people studyin icelandic) they live on loans they have to pay back.
YOU CAN TAKE YOUR MONEY OUT OF ICELAND, WITH THE LIMIT OF 10 MILLION ISK PER YEAR.
I think you ESPANA are not telling the truth, and I don´t think you have more than 10 millions in your bank account. You must surely be a highly in debt icelandic guy with a mortage for 100 years, no job and no money to put gasoline in your HUGE truck that you cannot even pay.
“Icelanders are better off the EU than bear such huge national debt”
Somewhat ironic, this comment coming from Greece, a nation desperately hoping for the EU to help them reducing their national debt…
However, it’s a mistake to believe that without joining thee EU, the national debt will be lower. The Brits and Dutch will still want their repayments. And they will still will have leverage, regarding the IMF credits, and the Icelandic EEA partnership. Without the EU, it will only become harder for Iceland. The question shouldn’t be if the vikings wants to join, but if the EU wants them. So far, Icelanders haven’t presented a single good argument why the Europeans should allow those troublemakers in…
“Funny thing is vast majority Icelanders don’t want to be a member of the EU.”
Yup. And fpor the EU, why should we take an irrelevant “nation” of 300000 in, if many of them don’t even want to join, especially since those vikings have a record of being constant troublemakers? What’s in this deal for the Europeans?
We don’t need you! Some responsible people in Iceland rightly see that a full partnership is the only way to save your economy, but even they have no real arguments why Europe do that. Nothing but trouble for us in this deal! No, thx.
“the Spanish EU Presidency viewed the Icesave issue and Iceland´s EU application as separate issues”
It’s not the Spanish temporary president who will decide the issue. If mayor EU nations are against Iceland joining, this viking dog won’t hunt. Sry for ruining your illusions.
As Jamie said, UK and Holland shall use the veto, it sounds like infants are bubbeling something stupid. Blackmailing a Nation in this way shows where the EU is in reality. A blown up monster and if the EU will go this road it will be embarrassing for the EU. Due to some debts (compared to debts the EU members have at all in budgets- just nonsense)to block the membership should everybody making thinking about attending the EU…
@Jamie
Do they? I’m not sure. I know Austria and France have the right to hold a referendum should Turkey ever join the EU, but I’m not sure if a ‘right to veto’ exists in all cases.
Anyway: DO NOT join the EU Iceland, don’t listen to Spain. Look at Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Norway. They are doing just fine without the membership.
Jamie, the more I read about the issue, the less I believe that the deal is good.
Frankly I fail to see why the UK and NL governments don’t understand that.
The burden will be too high, and I tend to believe Icelanders are better off the EU than bear such huge national debt. And it will not be some kind of investment loan like the ones the EIB gives…. It will be more like a “taxation with nothing on return”
Morationos and Zapatero have to look more for Spain than another countries. Sorry but we have a big bad economics problems, too many people whitout job 4 millons, with very bad salaries. Do you think that this guys can hold europe if they can´t fix Spain?
I left isceland and I couldn´t take my money, so icelanders must to pay back.
>Every country has a veto, and Holland and the UK shouid veto Icelands’s EU bid!
Already they have tried it. And to the IMF too.
Funny thing is vast majority Icelanders don’t want to be a member of the EU.
But really this actions of UK and Holland in all this threatening and blackmailing and bullying makes them look really bad on the international stage.
Who respects a bully ?
Thank you Carlos.
Sadly situation is that because of EU commission actions over whole IceSave affair as well as other reasons that EU member ship is not the right fit for Icelander, majority of Icelanders are against EU member state ness.
It is only the Social Democras party that currenctly sits in our government seats that is in favour. And they only do represent 20% of peopel that did vote in April 2009 election.
EU commission did try and shanghai Icelanders over IceSave dispute in November 2008 ” kangeroo court ” arbitration with UK and Holland.
Icelanders will not forget that time.
You can read more about Iceland and EU in my post here :
https://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/01/07/the-emergence-of-icesave-empathy-for-iceland-in-uk-media/#comment-109379
Every country has a veto, and Holland and the UK shouid veto Icelands’s EU bid!
Good for Moratinos,
I am proud of my Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos. I wish all the best to Iceland.
bless!