3/27/2012

Joining the EU in "total turmoil"

"Joining the European Union is in a total turmoil - simply because the support for it keeps decreasing. Europe is in an economic and political crisis and is not getting out of it anytime soon. It is now clear that the negotiations with the EU will not be finished before the next general elections and then we may have a government which is entirely against EU membership. It would be strange to have a membership agreement in the hands but no government to recommend it."

This was written on March 21 this year by Egill Helgason, a prominent talk show host at the Icelandic state broadcaster which has been known for talking positively about an Icelandic EU membership.

Yesterday the Icelandic Foreign Minister, Össur Skarphéðinssin, said at a meeting with the Icelandic Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs that he thought that the membership negotiations with the EU would not be finished before the next general elections which will be at the latest in the spring of 2013.