Government Earmarks 25 Million ISK For EU Membership Debate

A new draft of the supplementary budget proposes allocating 25 million ISK to promote discussion around potential EU accession negotiations, reports RÚV. According to the government coalition agreement, a national referendum on whether to begin talks with the European Union is planned for 2027.

The funds would be used to support preparations for the referendum, including the creation of a platform for public debate on the potential benefits and drawbacks of EU membership.

This government initiative to support public discourse on EU membership was brought up in parliament last week, when Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, chair of the Independence Party, hinted that the government might be spending public funds to promote its own political agenda.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir responded that the aim was simply to ensure that the public has easy access to information. All organisations would be eligible to apply for support to take part in the debate, regardless of whether they support or oppose EU membership.