Pawel says Jón Gnarr’s criticism is not personal

Pawel Bartoszek, chair of the Viðreisn parliamentary group, says he does not take Jón Gnarr’s criticism of the group personally, mbl.is reported. Gnarr left the group yesterday and criticised the party’s leadership in an interview with RÚV’s Kastljós programme that evening.

Gnarr said the party’s leadership had let him down and described conditions within the party as unhealthy. He said he had found himself in an unacceptable situation he did not want to be in.

“I may not take that criticism personally. I have only recently taken over as chair of the parliamentary group,” Pawel told mbl.is. He said he had spoken at length with Gnarr before he decided to leave and had agreed with him on a form of cooperation between Gnarr and the group.

Pawel said he hoped the cooperation would go well and might provide a basis for Gnarr to return at some point. He added that the decision was Gnarr’s, but that he would do what he could to make a return more likely.

Pawel took over as chair at the start of the week. Sigmar Guðmundsson, the group’s former chair, has been on sick leave since September and has asked to take on other duties in the group when he returns. Deputy chair María Rut Kristinsdóttir acted in his absence.

Gnarr said in the interview that he was pleased a decision had finally been made about the chair, but had been unhappy that it took so long. Pawel said the group had a deputy chair who had performed well in difficult circumstances following the vote on 29 August.

“Jón has now spoken publicly about his reasons. I see no need to go through them one by one and say which experiences I agree or disagree with,” Pawel said. He added that the vote’s result had not been a happy moment for him and that the party now needed to consider its next steps.