The foundation of the Republic of Iceland 70 years ago and the country's road towards independence was the main theme of the speech delivered by President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson today when Iceland's parliament Alþingi reconvened after the summer recess.
„Boldness and dignity, a strong sense of self-esteem, a feeling of worth based on our literary heritage and the memory of the Old Icelandic Commonwealth – these were the guiding lights of all those who, throughout the nineteenth century, campaigned in the Althingi for broader rights, for a political structure commensurate with Iceland’s vision of its own position in the community of nations.“
The President also discussed how the Icelandic people had gone from being one of the poorest nations in Europe to enjoy one of the best quality of life in the world. Solidarity during hard times had proved vital for Icelanders' achievements. The financial crisis had threatened the welfare of the nation for a while but not permanently.
„Although the financial crisis and the collapse of the banking system a few years ago threatened these achievements for a time, not least due to the ruthless attempts by others to bend us to their will, we have managed to turn the tide. Our economic growth, low unemployment and the growing strength of a range of export industries and services bear witness to a success that is without parallel elsewhere in Europe.“
With the words ruthless attempts Grímsson referred to demands from the British and Dutch governments that Icelandic taxpayers should shoulder responsibility for the liabilities of the failed private bank Landsbanki Íslands and its branch in the UK and the Netherlands called Icesave. The dispute eventually came to an end in January 2013 when the EFTA Court in Luxemburg ruled that the Icelandic state was not responsible for the liabilities.
President Grímsson's speech in full (in English)