The Independence Party has paid back a fraction of the donations it received in 2006 from Landsbankinn and FL Group.
In total, the two companies donated 55 million ISK to the party in the run-up to elections in 2007. Last Tuesday, the party returned 6,875,000 ISK of that money.
The Independence Party had long been resistant to opening their campaign finance books, but an investigative reporting earlier this spring revealed that the party received the substantial donations mere weeks before a law was passed that capped campaign finance donations. In light of this, party chairman Bjarni Benediktsson swore to repay the money which was donated.
The initial payment marks the first of many, and will be paid without interest or adjustment for inflation.