Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir contends that a story run in Morgunblaðið is a fabrication, and she requests an apology.
Journalist Agnes Bragadóttir reported that anonymous sources told her that the prime minister had encouraged former Minister of Business Björgvin G. Sigurðsson to be positive if he ended up facing charges for his part in the economic collapse of the nation. The prime minister reportedly added that being put on trial would give Björgvin a chance to clear his name.
Jóhanna responded quickly to the story, telling reporters at a press conference that it was a complete fabrication.
“Agnes Bragadóttir has less than no source within the Social Democrats,” the prime minister said in part. “So this article speaks for itself.”
She continued, speaking of current Morgunblaðið editor Davíð Oddsson, “One need not do anything else but look into the Special Investigative Commission report to see that one man bears the bulk of the responsibility for the economic collapse. This man has still not apologized, but uses Morgunblaðið to sling mud at others – likely to try and draw attention away from himself.”
Neither Morgunblaðið nor Agnes have clarified, defended, nor apologized for the story in question thus far.