“I am naturally not satisfied with the verdict,” former Prime Minister of Iceland Geir H. Haarde declared to journalists after the High Court (Landsdómur) announced the verdict in the Icelandic parliament’s case against him yesterday, as reported on visir.is.

Geir H. Haarde. Photo by Geir Ólafsson.

“I was acquitted in all substantial matters in this case. I was convicted for one insignificant issue, so insignificant that there is no punishment for it. This insignificant issue is a formality and a violation of a formality,” Geir commented. “The verdict is ridiculous and in fact it is more than that—it is absolutely laughable.”

“It is notable that nine judges in Landsdómur would convict me of such a formality violation. If I am guilty of having violated the constitution in this regard, then all of the country’s prime ministers since Iceland became a sovereign state have been guilty of the same thing. I am guilty on all of their behalf,” Geir added.

He also stated that the trial had been political. “I declared before this case was received for adjudication that I had full faith in Landsdómur and my faith did not waver. But political viewpoints snuck their way into the court, rather than pure legal points.”

Geir also said that he and his lawyer, Andri Árnason, are considering appealing his case to the European Court of Human Rights.

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