Lots of people reacted in different ways to the SIC, and the SIC report brought forth a lot of things that people said in the time leading up to the economic collapse. Below is a short list compiled by Vísir of some of the choicer nuggets.
“Despite the parties and talks with rich and famous people in London, Ármann hasn’t gotten any useful contacts within the British government nor achieved any deeper understanding of it.” – Hreiðar Már Sigurðsson, on former Singer and Freidlander (Kaupthing’s daughter company in the UK) bank director Ármanns Þorvaldsson’s cocktail party.
“There sits the Prime Minister before you, shaking like a leaf in the wind, and cannot make a decision. He listens to you and you’re undermining everything. If you don’t make this work I will personally see to it that you won’t work in Iceland again.” – Davíð Oddsson to Tryggvi Þór Herbertsson, with regards to the nationalizing of Glitnir.
“And then he began to shake and stutter. He said, ‘You can’t do this to me. I can’t go up there and say that to Davíð.'” – Össur Skarphéðinsson describes former Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde’s reaction to being told Davíð Oddsson would not lead the emergency leadership.
“You have to stand with us. You should not be criticizing or commenting on the banks, you are to stand with us.” – Glitnir president Birna Einarsdóttir to Morgunblaðið editor Styrmir Gunnarson.
“But should I tell the Minister of Business? [I asked.] And she said, ‘Not right away, so don’t talk to anyone. Keep it under wraps.'” Össur Skarphéðinsson quoting former Minister of Foreign Affairs Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir when the banks were falling apart.