ICELAND HAS agreed to a new deal to repay Britain and the Netherlands billions of dollars in deposits lost when the island’s banks collapsed last year, paving the way for new aid from international lenders.
Iceland passed a law in August to repay money lost in high-interest “Icesave” accounts, but Britain and the Netherlands baulked at the terms, holding up aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other lenders for the island’s stricken economy.
Iceland’s prime minister, Johanna Sigurdardottir, said the new deal would have a number of positive effects, including helping Iceland remove currency restrictions – put in place at the height of the crisis – and ease interest rates. It should also get international financial aid flowing again.
“I predict the IMF review will take place by the end of the month,” Ms Sigurdardottir said.
When the Bill is passed, Iceland, Britain and the Netherlands would issue a statement about the deal that would also include British and Dutch backing for the IMF review, the government said.
The deal has been accepted by Iceland’s cabinet and the two parties in the coalition and the government said the Bill would go before parliament on October 19th.
Iceland’s banks collapsed late last year at the height of the credit crunch. Its economy has imploded, leaving it dependent on a $10 billion (€6.7 billion) aid package headed by the IMF.
After initial payments, money has been held up by squabbles over the Icesave issue. Britain and the Netherlands objected to terms in the original law that meant the Icelandic government’s repayment guarantee ran out in 2024.
Under the new terms, should the money not be repaid by that date, the repayment period will be extended in five-year blocks.
Britain and the Netherlands have agreed that Iceland can seek a court ruling as to whether its depositors’ and investors’ guarantee fund has first claim on whatever is recovered from collapsed bank Landsbanki, whose depositors in Britain and the Netherlands had to be bailed out by the two states. – (Reuters)
