Opposition MPs accuse ministers of dodging questions in parliament

Opposition MPs criticised ministers for failing to answer questions during an unscheduled question session in parliament on Thursday, mbl.is reported. They said ministers were increasingly avoiding even straightforward questions.

The debate took place under an agenda item on the president’s management of proceedings. MPs from the Centre Party, Independence Party and Progressive Party took part.

Sigríður Á. Andersen, the Centre Party’s parliamentary group leader, said the limited time MPs had to ask ministers about their political positions was increasingly being wasted. She accused Infrastructure Minister Eyjólfur Ármannsson and Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir of not giving clear answers about Protocol 35 to the EEA Agreement.

Þorgerður Katrín responded by discussing the US secretary of state’s visit to Iceland and her recent trade trip to the United States. She said she was surprised the opposition had not discussed the visit and called for broader debate on international affairs.

Independence Party MP Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson said the minister had not answered Sigríður’s question and had instead called for a discussion of international affairs. “This has become quite an extraordinary spectacle in this honourable parliament,” he said. He urged the minister to present a report on international affairs to parliament and attend the debate herself.

Progressive Party MP Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson said ministers’ answers had become increasingly poor and unclear, a significant change from previous parliamentary terms. He described this as an impartial assessment, drawing laughter in the chamber; he served as a minister from 2013 to 2024.

Independence Party MP Árni Helgason also criticised the lack of clear answers, particularly from the infrastructure minister on his position regarding Protocol 35. He said MPs should be able to get straightforward answers about what the minister planned to do and how he intended to vote.