Hildur says minister downplayed concerns over Landsvirkjun contacts

MP Hildur Sverrisdóttir accused Finance Minister Daði Már Kristófersson of playing down concerns raised by former Landsvirkjun chief executive Hörður Arnarson about the minister’s contacts with the company’s board, mbl.is reported.

Earlier in the parliamentary debate, Daði rejected claims of political interference and said MPs may have misinterpreted Hörður’s comments. He said the former chief executive had expressed concern that the EFTA Surveillance Authority might question Landsvirkjun’s governance, but had not claimed that political interference had occurred.

Hildur said a memo from Hörður clearly raised concerns about what he considered improper contacts between the minister and the board of the state-owned company. She said he had described the contacts as not only inappropriate but potentially unlawful, and accused Daði of glossing over those concerns in his answers to parliament.

In the memo, Hörður wrote that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and Landsvirkjun’s board had, in his view, departed from a framework set out in laws on Landsvirkjun and public finances, as well as state aid rules. He also said the ministry had initiated meetings with the board without inviting him, and that topics had been discussed and information requested that should not have been handled in that way.

Hörður wrote that he considered it his legal duty as chief executive to raise the possibility that laws had not been followed and the serious risks this could create.

Hildur also challenged Daði’s claim that his meetings with the board had dealt only with general governance. She cited minutes from a meeting on January 6, which she said showed that the discussion included a dispute between Landsvirkjun and Landsnet, legislation concerning Landsvirkjun and bonds linked to the sale of Landsnet, including in relation to dividend payments. She urged the minister to withdraw his description of the meeting.

Daði said he had met the board twice, once last year and once this year. He said the other meetings cited by Hildur were between Finance Ministry specialists and Landsvirkjun representatives, and that similar meetings were held with other state-owned companies.