The trial of former prime minister Geir H. Haarde cost the government nearly 120 million ISK, with over 25 million ISK coming from what the court ordered the government to pay him personally.
Geir was put on trial earlier this year, accused of negligence and mismanagement in his role as a government minister, contributing to the 2008 economic collapse. At the trial’s conclusion last April, he was found guilty of one of the four charges against him, but would receive no punishment, and the government was ordered to award him damages.
Last Sunday, Independence Party MP Ragnheiður E. Árnadóttir posed a formal question to the Ministry of the Interior on the total cost to the state for his trial. Yesterday, she received an answer, with itemised billing. The breakdown of the cost of the trial is as follows, combining 2011 and 2012 figures:
Salaries of the judges: 26,568,067 ISK.
Salaries of other employees: 54,810,650 ISK.
The trial space itself: 2,789,711 ISK.
Travel and accommodation: 2,378,393 ISK.
Meeting costs: 540,100 ISK.
Local transport: 538,950 ISK.
Computer service: 495,508 ISK.
Other specialised services: 128,564 ISK.
Phone, mail and printing: 3,164,337 ISK.
Other supplies: 955,522 ISK.
These items place the total at 92,369,802 ISK. In addition, the total amount the state was order to pay Geir Haarde and his legal team amounted to 25,219,430 ISK, giving a grant total of 117,589,232 ISK spent by the government on the trial.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
