Iceland's Minister of Finance Outlined the Benefits of the Country's Accession to the EU
Iceland should join the European Union to strengthen its economy, protect its interests in international trade, and enhance its security amid growing geopolitical tensions in the Arctic. This view was expressed by the country’s Minister of Finance, Dadi Már Kristoffersson.
According to the official, EU membership would serve both Iceland’s economic and security interests. He emphasized that free trade and a rules-based international order are of key importance for a small, open economy.
Kristoffersson noted that the country’s security continues to be underpinned by a bilateral defense agreement with the United States and its membership in NATO. At the same time, he believes that U.S. President Donald Trump’s statements regarding the possible acquisition of Greenland have influenced the assessment of security risks in the region.
A referendum on resuming negotiations for accession to the European Union is scheduled to take place in Iceland in late August. The negotiation process was suspended in 2015 after Euroskeptic forces came to power.
Source: Reuters.
Icelandhas reported a surge in disinformation ahead of the EU referendum.
Earlier, Latvia announced its intention to join an agreement to establish a special tribunal for Russia over the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Riga stated that it supports the initiative to create an international mechanism to hold Russia accountable for its aggression against Ukraine.
