Björgólfur Thór Björgólfsson told a Norwegian business newspaper that Icelanders in the wake of the area of “outvasion vikings” have sought vengeance against the rich. He also expressed regrets about buying Landsbanki.
In a nine-page interview in Dagens Næringsliv, RÚV reports, Björgólfur discussed his career and Iceland in general. When the subject of the crash was brought up, he had some strong words to share.
Björgólfur contends that shortly after the financial collapse, the general public wanted to strip the wealthy of all their assets. Rather than creating a “truth commission” modelled after the post-apartheid South Africa model, he says, parliament chose to be controlled by anger and take the matter to court, referring to the trial of former prime minister Geir H. Haarde.
He also said that the Special Investigative Commission report was flawed, contending that he was called a liar in the report but was never interviewed by anyone on the commission over his business practices.
He said that his reputation in the business world has been actively tarnished by the media, comparing his situation to the notorious Hafskip Case from the mid-80s – where a shipping company (owned by his father) on already shaky ground financially was supposedly put out of its misery by negative press coverage.
Björgólfur now sees himself in the same position, and claims that his damaged reputation means that he now owes some 1 trillion ISK.
When asked about some of the biggest regrets in his life, Björgólfur named purchasing Landsbanki. This, he said, he has often regretted, both before and after the financial collapse.
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