Progressive MP Vigdís Hauksdóttir has refused to comment on her encouraging a boycott of a newspaper last week, saying that the matter was “old news.”
RÚV reports that reporters have been trying to contact Vigdís over the past week to respond to a statement from the Journalists Union of Iceland (BÍ). The union harshly criticised her for a statement she made on Facebook, wherein she encouraged at least one business to boycott Kvennablaðið, a newspaper which recently reported unfavourably about her.
When RÚV was able to finally reach her, she refused to respond, saying that the matter was “old news”.
As reported last week, Vigdís encouraged the cosmetics company EGF to “stop buying advertisements in this medium that attributes itself to women”.
She reminded her followers that the editor of Kvennablaðið is Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir, who happens to be the wife of actor Stefán Karl Stefánsson. Stefán recently responded to remarks from Independence Party MP Elín Hirst that Vigdís was the victim of “bullying”, with the actor saying Elín does not know what bullying is.
Vigdís’ remarks calling for a boycott of the paper drew a fast response from BÍ, who said they “condemn all attempts to suppress opinions and freedom of expression. … Freedom of expression does not just mean making your own opinion heard, but also respecting the opinions of others.”
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