Sjá urges Icelanders to vote yes to open EU talks

Jónas Hagan, chairman and co-founder of the campaign group Sjá, has urged Icelanders to vote yes in Saturday’s referendum, saying this would give them the option to examine a potential agreement with the European Union before deciding whether to join. mbl.is reported.

Speaking at a Sjá meeting at Tónabíó on Thursday, Hagan said the vote was about securing an option to negotiate with the EU and determine precisely what kind of agreement would be available to Iceland.

Although the broad implications of EU membership were known, he said the details were the most important part. Once negotiations were complete, Icelanders would know exactly what was on offer and could then make an informed decision on whether to approve membership.

“We do not need to know today whether we intend to join the European Union. That is precisely why we are voting to get a chance to see. We are going to obtain information so that we can make an informed decision,” Hagan said.

He said a rejection would mean that nothing changed. He referred to economic difficulties, saying wage negotiations were in turmoil and that both interest rates and inflation had risen.

“What are we going to change? What are we going to do? Nothing,” Hagan said, while arguing that Iceland could and should take action.

Hagan said the negativity in the campaign had disappointed him most and criticised what he called persistent fearmongering. He referred to billboards asking whether Iceland or its natural resources were for sale.

“Iceland is not for sale. Is any country for sale?” he said, referring to the United States’ attempt to buy Greenland and Greenland’s response: “No, thank you.”

Hagan said he was speaking from personal experience, having lived in eight countries and founded companies in more than 16 European countries. He said he had never experienced sovereignty or independence disappearing in any of them, nor had he heard colleagues complain about it.

He urged voters to turn out in large numbers on Saturday and vote to begin EU membership negotiations, stressing that the referendum would not require them to decide immediately whether Iceland should join the bloc.

“Let us stop being afraid. We are positive, we are optimistic. Let us go to the polls, say yes, and the future will be much brighter,” Hagan said.