Alþingi members accuse government of violating written agreement

Heated debates broke out in the Alþingi as opposition members accused the Icelandic government of violating a written agreement reached by party leaders this spring. The dispute centers on a regulation introduced by the Minister of Infrastructure in September.

Opposition MPs, including Ólafur Adolfsson of the Independence Party and Stefán Vagn Stefánsson of the Progressive Party, argued that the government failed to honor commitments regarding coastal fishing quotas and line concessions. They warned that the breach of this written agreement threatens the trust between the government and the opposition.

Government representatives rejected the accusations, maintaining that the agreement concerned intended legislative changes rather than the minister's authority to issue regulations. Other members, such as Bergþór Ólason of the Centre Party, called for the Speaker of the Alþingi to intervene, noting that the failure to uphold written agreements complicates future cooperation between party leaders.