Indipendence Party = Enron
The biggest story this week was the relevation that the Independence Party accepted two enormous donations from FL Group and Landsbankinn in 2006. At the same time, Geir Haarde was behind a bill in parliament that would limit individual donations to political parties to 300.000 ISK. The FL Group donation of 30 million ISK was received by the party just days before the new law was in effect. Landsbankinn’s donation was of 25 million ISK.
Geir Haarde released the following statement.
“With my knowledge and intent, the Independent Party actively worked on improving the party’s finances in accordance to the existing laws on financing by political parties. Many were involved.
At the same time I was the speaker for a bill of new laws on financing that became
effective as of January 1, 2007.
One of the donations that were made at that time has been in the news lately, the one from FL Group late in December 2006.
The current CEO of the party who had just started his new job at the time did not initiate nor was he instrumental in this donation. I accepted this donation as it was explained to me that it included the donations of many individual donors which FL Group was delivering on their behalf.
As the chairman of the party I am solely responsible. Current and previous CEO’s were not responsible.”
The donations are extremely embarrasing for the Independent Party. They have tried to maintain that the responsibility behind the economic crash lay with the viking raiders in Baugur and FL Group but then it turns out the party was massively financed by those very businessmen. Also while continually pointing the finger in all directions except for Landsbankinn and its owners, the father and son team of Bjorgolfur Thor and Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, it is now painfully obvious that they did in fact pay the party handsomely for having been handed the bank on a silfer platter during the privatizaiton.
Geir may seem sorry but he has nothing to lose. Morgunbladid says that the go-between in the deal with FL Group was Gudlaugur Thordarson, Minister of Health in Geir Haarde’s government and one of the prince’s of the party.
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April 9th, 2009 → 10:48 am @ Dadi
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