Entrance fees are a heated issue in Iceland these days. The most recent fracas is that some land owning partners in Reykjahlíð have sought out a legal injunction against other members who are demanding entrance fees for Námufjall and Leirhnjúk. The District Commissioner of the area will give his ruling tomorrow.
The landowning company in question intended to have entrance fees to Dettifoss also, but negotiations between the Vatnajökull national park and them regarding infrastructure around the waterfall broke down. However, entrance fees near the caldera east of Námufjall and around Leirhnjúk were implemented on the 18th of June.
Various companies in the tourist sector have protested and declined to take tourists there, while the government has not yet interfered. Nonetheless, the Minister of Finance demanded a legal injunction against entrance fees at Geysir in Haukdal. The District Commissioner of the region denied the government’s request, however the District Court of Suðurland rescinded the entrance fees and now the Supreme Court will give the final ruling in the case.
In an interview with the National Broadcasting Service, Ólafur H. Jónsson, the spokesperson for Landowners Association in Reykjahlíð, says the area will be closed to the public should the collection of an entrance fee be deemed illegal.
“It is clear as day that the area belongs to landowners in Reykjahlíð and they can close the area down if they feel conservation matters are not being met,” Ólafur explains.
Entrance fees are a heated issue in Iceland these days. The most recent fracas is that some land owning partners in Reykjahlíð have sought out a legal injunction against other members who are demanding entrance fees for Námufjall and Leirhnjúk. The District Commissioner of the area will give his ruling tomorrow.
The landowning company in question intended to have entrance fees to Dettifoss also, but negotiations between the Vatnajökull national park and them regarding infrastructure around the waterfall broke down. However, entrance fees near the caldera east of Námufjall and around Leirhnjúk were implemented on the 18th of June.
Various companies in the tourist sector have protested and declined to take tourists there, while the government has not yet interfered. Nonetheless, the Minister of Finance demanded a legal injunction against entrance fees at Geysir in Haukdal. The District Commissioner of the region denied the government’s request, however the District Court of Suðurland rescinded the entrance fees and now the Supreme Court will give the final ruling in the case.
In an interview with the National Broadcasting Service, Ólafur H. Jónsson, the spokesperson for Landowners Association in Reykjahlíð, says the area will be closed to the public should the collection of an entrance fee be deemed illegal.
“It is clear as day that the area belongs to landowners in Reykjahlíð and they can close the area down if they feel conservation matters are not being met,” Ólafur explains.
