Angry Whalers Confront Svandís Svavarsdóttir, the Icelandic Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture.
June 23, 2023
The Icelandic Pro-whalers called an emergency meeting this evening and invited the Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Svandís Svavarsdóttir. She announced her decision to attend.
Courageously she did so, despite the boos and jeers to defend her decision to ban Kristján Loftsson’s illegal whaling operations for the season.
Kristján Loftsson despite his bluster and name-calling, threats and whining did not attend.
This is a transcript in English of the meeting. It is lengthy but gives a good overview of the current controversy with the Minister bravely standing her ground despite calls for her to be fired.
Transcript
[The members of parliament for the North West Constituency are Stefán Vagn Stefánsson, Lilja Rannveig Sigurgeirsdóttir and Halla Signý Kristjánsdóttir from the Progressive Party, Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir and Teitur Björn Einarsson from the Independence Party, Bjarni Jónsson from the Left Green Party, Eyjólfur Ármannsson from the People’s Party and Bergthór Ólason from the Central Party.]
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SUMMARY OF SPEECHES: BY TIMECODE
19:40
Full out and the meeting has started
The meeting is well attended and the doors are full. The meeting has now started and Vilhjálmur Birgisson, of the Akraness Trade Union, says he was touched by how many people attended the meeting. He asks people to be objective and polite so that the meeting can be constructive. “I’m not always polite, but I’m going to try to be polite tonight,” he says.
19:42
The chairperson speaks
Steinar Adolfsson, chief legal officer of Akranesskaupstaði, is the chairman of the meeting and he now explains the organization of the meeting. Vilhjálmur is the first to leave and tells Steinar that he promised not to talk for very long. Next after him is Svandís Svavarsdóttir, Minister of Food. More people then speak after them and finally questions are taken from the audience. The meeting is expected to last about an hour and a half.
19:44
Says the meeting is not about people’s opinion on whaling
Vilhjálmur says that the last two days have been hard on him. He says the issue is not about whether people are for or against whaling, but about whether the decision of the Minister of Food complies with the law, about people’s livelihoods and job security, and whether society intends to let this kind of administration happen.
Finally, he calls on the parliamentarians of the Progressive Party and the Independence Party to end the government cooperation if this decision is not withdrawn.
19:45
Wants answers about what has changed
Vilhjálmur then goes over the sequence of events leading up to Svandís’s decision. Goes over that she said that there were no sufficient documents to revoke the whaling license. “This is stated in a memo from the ministry itself,” he says and requests answers about what has changed.
19:47
The loss is great for the workers
Vilhjálmur says that if this decision stands, it will cause great damage to the employees of Hval hf. He says the workers applied for the job because they saw that the whaling license would not be revoked. The loss of wages for employees will amount to less than 1.2 billion, that is excluding wage-related expenses. The municipalities will be left out of a lot of money in local government revenue.
19:50
Asks what MPs are going to do
Asks members of the Progressive and Independence Party what they intend to do if this decision is allowed to stand. Hval will demand compensation for the decision. Vilhjálmur is confident that the state will lose that case, the decision does not comply with the law. “What are people going to do when the case has gone to court?” he asks and then shoots at Svandís for having lost a court case before.
19:52
The solidarity of the people of Skagaman is great
Vilhjálmur says that the meeting shows the solidarity of the people of Skagaman, who cheered loudly throughout the speech. “It’s so much talk and talk,” he says. Finally, he tells Svandísi not to use her power to “harass people in this way.”
19:52
Svandis has arrived
Svandís now speaks. “Shame on you,” is called from the hall, but Svandís says that it is understandable that people have strong opinions on the matter. She then goes over the lead-up to the decision. Reviews the Food Agency’s report and says the conclusion of the Food Agency’s experts has been that Hvals hf. did not comply with animal welfare regulations.
Then she talks about the death wars of whales that were caught on tape, but you can read more about it below.
19:56
Swandís in Pontus
19:56
“Not an opinion but a fact”
Svandís says the result is that the whaling violates animal welfare laws. It is “not an opinion but a fact.” It is quite clear according to the law and in Svandís’s mind that it is not acceptable. The welfare of the animals must be in the foreground and the letter of the law says so.
19:58
Says he is obliged to act
Svandís states that they have reiterated that it was necessary for the professional council’s opinion on animal welfare to be available before any action was taken. The conclusion of the professional council, which is now before us, is that the fishing does not comply with the law. She says that as the Minister of Food, she is therefore obliged to act, it was not possible to wait. “It would have meant that the activity started in opposition to the law,” she says.
“I had to act before the hunt begins.”
19:59
Clapped and booed
Svandís says rights in the labor market do not evaporate. The postponement is based on the professional arguments of the main experts in animal welfare, built on a solid legal basis. “Let’s have the courage to base the debate on facts,” she concludes. There was both clapping and booing at the end of the minister’s speech.
20:00
Stefán Vagn has arrived
Stefán Vagn Stefánsson, Member of Parliament for Framsokrán, is now up to snuff. He says he wrote a speech that has nothing to do with the group. He is therefore going to speak bluntly and plainly.
20:03 22.06.2023
Teitur Björn taken over
Teitur Björn Einarsson, MP for the Independence Party, now speaks. “This is not acceptable, it is shameful for the people involved. How is such disrespect, indifference, not only towards the law or the constitution, but towards the people involved here. This doesn’t work,” he says.
20:06
Group dismissal
Teitur says 150 to 200 people have lost their jobs due to Svandís’s decision. This is one of the largest group layoffs that has taken place in Iceland recently, with the exception of Covid-19 layoffs.
20:07 22.06.2023
Independents want Svandís to reconsider the decision
Teitur says the parliamentary party of the Independence Party has met today. It is the recommendation of the Independents that the Minister of Food reconsiders his decision.
20:09
Lilja accepted and is unhappy
Lilja Rannveig Sigurgeirsdóttir, Member of Parliament for the Progressive Party, now takes over. She says she is unhappy with Svandís’s decision, which was made clear by other members of the party. She draws attention to the fact that the decision was not discussed in the parliament before it was taken. She says it shouldn’t be like that to put an entire industry in doubt with the decision of one person
20:10 22.06.2023
Also encourages Svandísi to reconsider
Lilja says that questions arise as to whether it is good administration if questions arise about liability for damages. Decisions should not be made while there is no certainty as to whether the state will be liable for damages. She challenges Svandísi to reconsider her decision. A decision about the future of whaling should be made in Althingi, professionally.
20:12
The center party strongly condemned the decision
Bergthór Ólason, member of parliament for the Independence Party, says that the parliamentary party of the Central Party strongly condemns Svandís’s decision. The decision cannot stand. He welcomes what is stated in the case of the MPs of the Progressive Party and the Independence Party. He says that it is the responsibility of the members of the Progressive Party and the Independence Party to unravel this.
20:16 22.06.2023
Orri Páll speaks
Orri Páll Jóhannesson, Member of Parliament for the Left Green Party, takes the floor and says that the welfare of animals is important. We should look at the welfare of animals. He says that he does not believe that anyone believes that resources should be handled in such a way that there is no shame. The professional council’s opinion on animal welfare is clear and cannot be underestimated, there are experts.
20:19
Not on the same wavelength
“We’re clearly not on the same wavelength, me and the army of men laughing in the hall,” says Orri as the audience laughs. He says attitudes and understanding have changed, but that the legislation on animal welfare has not changed. He says that there is no honor in anything other than doing the best we can. “I don’t think it’s a very complicated matter.”
20:21 22.06.2023
Pirates are against whaling
Gísli Rafn Ólafsson, member of Parliament for the Pirates, then steps up. He says that Pirates are against whaling, that it should not be practiced in modern society. He says, however, that Pirates always fight to improve administration. “We may have different goals,” he says.
20:24
Amazing how long things take
“It’s amazing how things always take a long time with this government,” says Gísli, but before that he explained how a report and information about the case had been requested but that it arrived late. The decision was made so late because the professional council submitted the report that week. That report could have come a long time ago and the decision with it. “It would probably have made a difference for the people in here.”
Gísli says that it is possible to argue whether whaling has a place in modern society. Everyone must still want the animals to not be treated as badly as the report states.
20:31
The first questions to Svandís
In the first question, a man named Sturla wonders about the professional council. He says the professional council never came and looked at the situation, but looked at old reports. Asks why new methods are not considered.
A man named Árni then gets word that he is aware that equipment has been invested on board the ships to kill the whales with electricity. He challenges Svandísi to reconsider the decision.
Júlíus Viggó, chairman of the Heimdallar Association of Young Independents in Reykjavík, then gets the floor. He says he supports whaling, but regardless, he wonders how such a decision can be made a day in advance. “How can a minister make such a decision with dignity?”
20:25 22.06.2023
Open for questions from the floor
Questions from the audience will now be opened. People are asked for clear questions and not input in the form of a speech, it doesn’t work.
20:34 22.06.2023
Ask about the liability:
A woman named Birta directs her question to Vilhjálm and others. She asks how liability should be able to take place.
20:36
Asks how to maintain moderation
A man named Sigurður says that he is upset by Svandís’s decision. He asks how she intends to observe the principle of moderation or equality in the hunting of wild animals such as geese that fly with bullets in them and are killed after a death war, or salmon and trout with angels in them that are killed after a death war. He says he can’t see anything other than that all such hunting is being banned.
20:37 22.06.2023
Vilhjálmur answers, the demand is most likely simple
Vilhjálmur answers Birta’s question about liability. He says that if he knows Kristján Loftsson at Hvali hf. right then he already has a lot of lawyers working on it. He says that the compensation claim is most likely simple, the number of animals multiplied by the income for each animal that would have been provided and the state would be charged for it.
He then says that he thought the Independence Party was announcing the end of the government live when Teitur said he had a message from the Congress party. He believes that the Independence Party and Progress are going to wait for the issue to die, but that they are not going to allow that to happen.
20:40
An electrifying atmosphere
20:45
Svandís answers
Svandís begins by going over some issues regarding the professional council. She says it is a statutory council of experts and that Alþingi sets the rules. A council of experts that is legally mandated in this way actually has a stronger position than a legal patch, but the ministry ensures that legitimate considerations are followed.
Then she answers whether changes in whaling are not being taken into account. She says the license is intact, it has not been tampered with. She says that the start of the season has been postponed.
Regarding Hval’s involvement, it is to have been given information. She says MAST has given the company a chance to give comments throughout the process.
She then answers Júlíus about the short prelude. She says that it was about the fact that in order to be able to completely determine what the damage was, the council had to submit its information. The result was so decisive that she could not do anything but act.
She then says that the continuation is about communicating with the licensee, experts and so on about whether it is possible to make changes. It reflects moderation in this situation. Regarding other species, Svandís says that fish are not part of the scope of the Animal Protection Act. However, it is quite true that hunting and protection of wild animals has a separate body of law, but it does not fall under its purview.
Finally, she says the regulation is not aimed at employees, it is for the company to organize itself at all times in accordance with the law.
20:51 22.06.2023
The transfer to the law is in pieces
Teitur also wanted to talk about the professional council. He says the council came to the conclusion that the fishing was not in accordance with the law without having explained it sufficiently. He says that the council does not have legal experts. He also says that it goes without saying that further research and experiments will be carried out regarding whaling, but the transfer to the law is all in pieces.
21:00 22.06.2023
Lots of questions
Örvar, an employee at Hval, asks how Svandís came to the decision to postpone until September 1st, it completely kills the season.
Then Árni asks again, but he says that Svandísi did not answer him well enough. He wants to focus attention on the viewpoints of those who are hunting the whales, it will not be seen that the professional council discusses them. Then he says a new device will probably kill whales at the same time with an electric shock. Presumably the whales would be humanely euthanized this season, but the only way to know is to test the equipment.
A man named Gísli has a simple question: “Is it true that a nature conservation organization had a hand in the fact that this work started last year?” If so, he asks if Svandís can withdraw this in light of how big a group is pressuring her now. Then she wants to test the equipment that has been worked on.
Finally, he asks the Independence Party and Framsørk if they intend to stand up if this decision is not withdrawn.
20:52
“We are unemployed, we have enough time” was heard from the hall when it was supposed to be closed
20:53
More questions
It was stated that there was time for one more question, but then it was pointed out that the meeting had been delayed. So there is actually time for more questions.
21:02
“Is it true that nature conservation organizations had a hand in getting this work started last year?”
21:04 22.06.2023
Svandís answers again
Svandís speaks. She answers Örvar about the time. The reason for this period is that this is the time needed to gather data and look for perspectives.
Regarding the changes in Árna’s question, Svandís says that it appears in the professional council’s conclusion that after consulting those who know the way best, it is not considered a viable method.
Then she answers Gísla about whether nature conservation organizations were involved in the collection of data. She says she is extremely happy with the decision to collect the data to know how the industry is doing. “Isn’t it good to see this?” she says and says she made that decision herself. She says that the argument of pressure from another direction does not work. Adding that now is the time to have these communications, gather data and information.
A woman named Rannveig then asked how the professional council was chosen. Svandís says it was appointed by the minister based on the law. This is a statutory council that is put together on the basis of the Animal Welfare Act.
21:07
“It’s hard”
Stefán Vagn answers Gísla what Framsørk is going to do if the decision is not reversed. “It’s hard,” he says. “I hope that in the next few days we will be able to convince our honorable minister to change this decision now. It’s just our task now.”
He says that this conversation needs to be held so that this decision can be changed. He hopes it goes well.
Stefán then says that if he had been in Svandís shoes, he would not have done this. He talks about the new equipment and wants it tested, then a decision will be made.
21:08 22.06.2023
The government does not explode
Stefán then says that the government is not going to explode tonight in Akranes. “It’s not going to happen,” he says.
21:11
Tempting to answer
Teitur takes the floor and answers Gísla’s question. He says he can’t answer that question at this point. He says it is tempting but that things have to happen in the right order. This challenge and demand to Svandís for a review has been made. The next step is for her to consider it. The time she has is not long though, out this month at the most.
Regarding what he himself would have done in her shoes, Teitur says that he would have done what was right, Svandís did not. It is necessary to look at proportionality rules, constitutionally protected rights, and when burdensome decisions for people and business activities, special care must be taken.
21:16 22.06.2023
Can say goodbye to VG and join the Center Party
Bergthór Ólason wanted to answer Stefán regarding the fact that only three parties are in favor of whaling, Forward, the Independence Party and the Central Party. He draws attention to the fact that these three parties have the majority of these MPs.
He says these parties can form a new majority and fix the issue. He then says that the responsibility rests on Progress and the Independence Party, it should not surprise anyone that the Greens make this decision. However, she is “backed up” by the silence, if that is the result.
He says that if the case ends like this, it will be “the greatest humiliation of the Independence Party” that he can remember.
21:18
Individual MPs often disagree with ministers
Lilja Rannveig says that what she would have done is that she would have waited to make the decision until the investigations had been completed. She is happy that the report was submitted, but that more years should lie behind her. It would seem normal for her to take into account the changes that have taken place.
Regarding what she intends to do if the minister does nothing, she says that it is often the case that individual MPs disagree with ministers. She herself says that she is very upset and that she should start whaling as soon as possible.
21:21 22.06.2023
“Unfortunately, that’s just the way it is”
Gísli Rafn says that if he were the Minister of Food, he would have come to the same conclusion as Svandís. Not only because he considers whaling to be a waste of time, but also because when there are reports that show that the treatment of animals is not in accordance with the law on animal welfare, it is simply the case that if the minister does nothing, the law on ministerial responsibility will be activated. The minister will thus be responsible for allowing violations of the law. “Unfortunately, that’s just the way it is,” he says.
21:24
Goes over the professional council’s assessment of the electricity
Orri Páll then takes the floor and answers a question regarding the possible use of electricity. He says that it is reviewed in the professional council’s opinion. In the professional council’s opinion, there is no evidence, according to the available studies, that the use of electricity is sufficient. If it is possible to find a hunting method that complies with the rules of animal welfare, then it can be examined, it would be called proportionality.