PM Apologises For Behaviour, Says Will Not Resign

Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, in a live interview that aired moments ago, apologised for his behaviour during an interview aired last night, but says the government needs to finish its term.

In a live, televised interview the Prime Minister gave to Stöð 2, the Prime Minister had more to say about his behaviour during the interview – which he walked out of – than he did about the questions posed to him.

“It’s quite clear I came across poorly in that interview,” he told reporters. “The Prime Minister should be able to answer any question posed to him. So I apologise for my behavior.”

The Prime Minister was asked some very pointed questions about his involvement with Wintris Inc. – which his wife, Anna Sigurlaug Pálsdóttir, bought in 2007 in order to invest family money. When Sigmundur Davíð entered parliament in 2009, he failed to disclose his 50% stake in Wintris, but sold his share eight months later to his wife for $1 USD. He answered all of these questions by repeating that “all of these assets were my wife’s, and have been registered with the tax office.”

When asked if he has considered resigning, as Iceland’s former Prime Minister, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, has said he must do, Sigmundur said, “I haven’t considered resigning. This government has achieved a lot of great things, and still has a lot of work to do. It is important that the government be able to finish the work that it started.”

Sigmundur was also asked about a protest demonstration scheduled to take place in front of parliament today, demanding early elections.

“It’s nothing new that people find some reason to protest the government,” he told reporters. “But I have explained this matter to people willing to listen,” adding that he believes “the voters should decide” during the next scheduled elections, which are set to be held in 2017.

At the time of this writing, some 23,000 Icelanders have signed a petition calling for his resignation, and the parliamentary opposition will be submitting a vote of no confidence against the Prime Minister today.