Iceland Prime Minister denies involvement of assistant in Hvalur hf whaling permit request

Iceland’s Prime Minister, Bjarni Benediktsson, has stated that Jón Gunnarsson, his assistant in the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries, will not be involved in a request for a whaling permit made by Hvalur hf. Following the departure of the Left Greens from the government, Benediktsson clarified that Gunnarsson’s role would not extend to the whaling license application.

The Prime Minister’s announcement comes after a secret recording surfaced in which Gunnarsson’s son claimed that his father had agreed to take the fifth position on the Independence Party’s ticket for the Southwest constituency in exchange for the opportunity to influence the permit process for Hvalur hf. The recording, done without Jón’s consent, was made during an interview where the interviewer misrepresented his intentions.

Benediktsson emphasized that it is clear-cut: “Jón Gunnarsson will not be working on the whaling license application.” The Prime Minister’s remarks were made during a conversation with the press, reinforcing that the matter is resolved.

Jón’s appointment to the cabinet was noteworthy, as it followed a loss to another party member, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, for a higher candidacy spot. In the recording, Gunnarsson’s son spoke of a friendship between his father and Kristján Loftsson, the owner of Hvalur hf., suggesting that securing the whaling license could be a legacy for Jón and implying potential future roles within the whaling company.

Overall, this incident has sparked discussions on underlying influences and transparency in political decisions related to environmental concerns and industry relationships.