Independence Party MPs declared their support for Minister of the Interior Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir at a party meeting in Vestmannaeyjar (the Westman Islands) yesterday, visir.is reports. Hanna Birna has been under fire in recent months following the leak of information about an asylum seeker from her ministry in November.
“There was full support for Hanna in the party. We discussed this and agreed to declare support for the minister,” Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, vice-chair of the parliamentary group of the Independence Party said.
As reported, the minister’s assistant, Gísli Freyr Valdórsson, is facing charges for having leaked information about the asylum seeker Tony Omos to the media last year. Charges against him were issued by the state prosecutor on Friday afternoon.
In response, Hanna Birna relieved Gísli of his duties and requested to have her duties as minister of justice relocated to a different ministry while his case is being handled by the courts. However, Hanna Birna has stated that she does not intend to step down.
The Pirate Party announced earlier this week that it was considering submitting a vote of no confidence against Hanna Birna. Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson said on Monday that he felt the minister had handled the case well and that he was satisfied with her responses and would not be supporting the vote. Sigmundur denies that the case has damaged the reputation of the government.
