Jan Sjóstein remains temporary head of Finance Ministry pay department

Jan Sjóstein has remained temporary head of the pay department at the Faroe Islands’ Ministry of Finance for a year, Kringvarp Føroya reports.

He was appointed on August 29, 2025, after Jan Mortensen resigned as department head upon turning 67. The ministry has still not advertised the permanent position.

Finance Minister Aksel V. Johannesen said the delay makes it more difficult to argue for appointing someone else when the job is eventually advertised.

When Sjóstein was appointed, the ministry wanted to complete public-sector wage negotiations before opening the position. The negotiations have since been delayed, partly because of the parliamentary election in the spring, and have made little progress.

Johannesen was prime minister when Sjóstein became temporary department head. He now serves as finance minister.