The High Court (Landsdómur) is not likely to convene because of the charges filed against former Prime Minister of Iceland until early next year. Preparations have begun both at the offices of Althingi parliament’s prosecutor and the Supreme Court.
Former Prime Minister of Iceland Geir H. Haarde. Copyright: Icelandic Photo Agency.
The court will not convene until the prosecutor files the case before the High Court. Thorsteinn A. Jónsson, office manager of the Supreme Court, told Fréttabladid that isn’t likely to happen until next year.
“There isn’t much to report on right now and won’t be until shortly before New Year’s Eve, I presume,” added Althingi’s prosecutor Sigrídur J. Fridjónsdóttir. Her office is in the same building as the office of the Special Prosecutor on Skúlagata.
“I’m anxious to start working on this case at full speed and not being caught up in trivial issues but I guess they have to be dealt with as well,” she said. However, she has found time to take a look at some data connected to the case.
Fridjónsdóttir will be aided by Helgi Magnús Gunnarsson, Althingi’s assistant prosecutor, and Fridjónsdóttir assumes that they will be the only ones working on this case to begin with. “But then I expect to hire one or two employees later on, maybe one other lawyer and an office worker.”
It has yet to be decided where the court proceedings will take place but according to Fréttabladid’s sources, the Culture House on Hverfisgata is an option. “It has been discussed informally but no decisions have been made,” revealed Jónsson.
The case is an historical event in Iceland and therefore there might be significant interest among the public to observe the proceedings.
“It is court proceedings, not a show,” Fridjónsdóttir stressed. “Many people fit inside the Culture House and media representatives who are reporting on the case will be taken into account.” However, it is unlikely that the court proceedings will be broadcast live.
Click here to read more about the case against Haarde.
