Árni Sigfússon, the mayor of Reykjanebæ, has recently responded to Björk Guðmundsdóttir and her concerns about Magma Energy.
As reported, Magma Energy not only bought a 98% stake in HS Orka – they also received the rights to geothermal exploration in the Reykjanes area for the next 65 years. This has raised alarm among many Icelanders, and with as unpopular as Magma Energy is, the mayor has been called a sell-out.
Árni is having none of that, however, and defended Magma Energy in an opinion piece he wrote for Morgunblaðið. “Propaganda that a foreign company is using a puppet company to rake in our resources is unfounded,” he says in part. He accuses the Icelandic media of “lapping up the propaganda” on the subject.
The truth, according to Árni, is that Magma Energy is being very wise about how they treat our natural resources, and that it’s better that a private company delves into energy exploration rather than use tax money. He adds that jobs will be created, although couldn’t state how or how many.
He concludes by saying that Björk doesn’t pay taxes in Iceland. How this is relevant – or whether it’s even true – is not explained.