"That absolute transparency is in all processes"

Lilja Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Education and Culture, addressed the response of the government to the European Court of Human Rights ruling in a speech in Parliament yesterday.

In my opinion, there are three things we need to discuss. Firstly, the legal security in Iceland. Secondly, whether to request that the case be reviewed by the court's Grand Chamber, and thirdly, the methodology used in selecting judges. In my introduction, I will focus on what I believe is the most urgent matter, namely the government's decision to direct the case to the court's Grand Chamber.

In my mind, it is very important that we manage to create a consensus on how Parliament, the administration, and the courts handle this matter. We are all in the service of the public, and the people of the country must be able to trust that the judicial system is reliable and all the framework around it. As I mentioned earlier, the next step is for the government to assess whether to request that the case be reviewed by the court's Grand Chamber. The parties to the case have three months to make such a decision. It is important, in my view, to make a thorough assessment of the interests that argue for referring the case to the upper chamber and to weigh them against the interests that may potentially argue for it not being done."

Speech by Lilja Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Education and Culture in Parliament, 18 March 2019.

"As has been stated, the government has called upon the most capable experts for advice. It is crucial that the entire process around this case is careful and designed to build trust. We can achieve this together for society. However, it is not possible to make a decision on an appeal without weighing and evaluating its impact on the position of the Court of Appeal and ensuring a proper environment for the court, regardless of what decision is made. In my mind, it is extremely important that Parliament unites in this significant matter to strengthen the foundations of the judicial system in Iceland.

At the time, a decision was made in Parliament about how we would proceed with the case. The Framsókn party requested more time to go through the case because it was handled somewhat quickly. We are talking about the judicial level in our country. Therefore, now we must have the wisdom to unit and work in harmony and cooperation. The people of the country deserve it.

I have full faith that Parliament will manage to handle the case this way. It is quite clear that the measures of trust in the Parliament are not what they should be, and we all need to approach the matter in a way that increases trust in the Icelandic Parliament. I believe this is a very good case to work on together and in cooperation. Let us listen to each other, to what we are saying here. These discussions, requested by the opposition, are important, and we should make use of them. We should take advantage of what is said by those parliamentarians who speak on these matters.

Honourable Speaker. Many may have been taken aback by this outcome. However, it does not matter exactly at this moment. We must conduct an interest assessment for Iceland and then make a decision afterwards, weigh and consider the pros and cons. The Framsókn party places immense emphasis on this matter being handled in collaboration with the entire Parliament, with complete transparency in all procedures. That is precisely what has been stated by the Prime Minister. I believe that the stance we heard in her introduction is important. To increase trust in Parliament, we must collectively and cooperatively address this matter and show the nation that Parliament can handle such issues with professionalism and trustworthiness," said Lilja Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Education and Culture.