PRESS RELEASE FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN ICELAND:

Össur Skarphéðinsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs today received, on behalf of his Nordic colleagues, a report by Thorvald Stoltenberg, former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence of Norway, on Nordic foreign and security policy cooperation. The report was launched at an extraordinary meeting of the Nordic foreign ministers in Oslo. Read the full story

Press release from the Prime Minister of Iceland

Mr Speaker, fellow Icelanders.

It can have escaped no one that our country is passing through a deep economic downturn. Within a very brief period, the government has had to act responsibly and determinedly, to keep the wheels of business and industry turning and to reinforce the security net for the nation’s households and families. Read the full story

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CENTRAL BANK OF ICELAND:

Ingimundur Fridriksson Governor of the Central Bank of Iceland has prepared a paper about the banking crisis in Iceland in 2008. Read the full story

A Government of the Social Democratic Alliance and the Left-Green Movement takes office today. It aims to assure an effective administration to carry out urgent measures, particularly for the benefit of households and business, for rebuilding the banking system, in the field of administrative reform and to carry out measures in favour of increased democracy. Read the full story

The seventeenth Reykjavik protest meeting goes ahead today as planned at 15.00 on Austurvollur Square. Later on this evening, The Voices of the People protest group has organized Busahaldaboogie, a ‘victory concert’ at Nasa nightclub. Read the full story

It seems unlikely Iceland’s new Social Democrat and Left Green coalition with Progressive Party support will be unveiled before the end of the weekend.

Progressive Party members are said to need more time to discuss the issues and implications of working with the SD and the Greens.

The parliamentary group of the Progressive Party met on Friday and the Left Green Party and the Social Democrats are meeting this morning. MBL.is reports that the topics of the private meetings are not being made public beforehand.

It is most likely that the new Icelandic ministers for trade and for justice will not be MPs, Stod 2 news reported last night. University of Iceland economics professor Gylfi Magnusson and Bifrost University professor Bryndis Hlodversdottir are considered the most likely candidates. Read the full story

Current Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security, Johanna Sigurdardottir, is to become the interim Prime Minister of Iceland until new elections are held (probably) in May this year. Social Democrat Sigurdardottir will lead the government in coalition with the Left-Green Movement after the preceeding PM, Geir H. Haarde, stepped down. Her new administration is to be sworn this Saturday. Read the full story

The international ratings company Fitch Ratings says that the new Icelandic government’s adherence to the IMF recovery plan will have a very strong bearing on the company’s next sovereign debt risk rating. Read the full story

Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, the President of Iceland, asked Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, the leader of the Social Democrats, and Steingrimur J. Sigfusson, leader of the Left Green Party, to discuss together the formation of a minority coalition government between their two parties. The President said he had asked Gisladottir to chair the talks. Read the full story