Þorgerður backs Daði but avoids endorsing his handling

Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir said she supported Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Daði Már Kristófersson, but did not directly endorse his handling of a dispute involving Landsvirkjun, mbl.is reported.

Independence Party MP Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson asked her four times in an unscripted question session in Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament, whether she supported Daði’s conduct in the matter. She eventually said: “Yes, of course I support Daði Már Kristófersson as finance minister. He has done exceptionally well.”

Guðlaugur said Þorgerður had avoided answering the question directly. He argued that she had had ample opportunity to say she supported Daði’s handling of the case, but chose not to.

The dispute over Landsvirkjun’s board has continued since the company’s chief executive, Hörður Arnarson, left his post. The board had held several meetings without Hörður, who warned that political interference could make the company unable to function. Opposition MPs have accused Daði of downplaying the disagreement between Hörður and the board.

In her first response, Þorgerður said Daði had acted quickly and called a special parliamentary debate on the issue the previous day, where he had given clear answers. She also said there was no reason to believe laws had been broken and noted that Daði had asked Alþingi’s Constitutional and Supervisory Committee to review the matter.

Guðlaugur said the case looked bad and that Daði had not given parliament an accurate account. He added that political interference in Landsvirkjun was now greater than it had been for decades.