Opposition’s leaders in Iceland’s parliament have laid into financial minister Bjarni Benediktsson for his criticism of the Directorate of Tax Investigations (DTI).
In the spring of 2014 the DTI was offered to buy a set of data holding information about potential tax evaders hiding their assets abroad. This weekend the financial minister condemned how the DTI has handled the offer and told RÚV that it was unattainable to pay for the information with “cash in a suitcase”.
It seems as the unknown seller has declined an achievement related payment and is only willing to accept an up front fee for the data set.
Árni Páll Árnason, the chairman of the Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin), has said that it is indecent by financial minister Bjarni to make a scapegoat of the DTI and that it is indeed his responsibility to secure an access to the data set for Iceland’s tax authorites.
Pirate party leader Birgitta Jónsdóttir has also lambasted Bjarni and told Vísir that it seems like his family affairs are getting into his way. Bjarni’s family is one of Iceland’s oldest business dynasties.
Read more: Tax sinners might be offered amnesty if they turn themselves in
Bryndís Kristjánsdóttir, DTI’s director, has not responded to Bjarni’s criticism.
Tax evasion is a crime in Iceland and conviction may result in fines and imprisonment.
Opposition’s leaders in Iceland’s parliament have laid into financial minister Bjarni Benediktsson for his criticism of the Directorate of Tax Investigations (DTI).
In the spring of 2014 the DTI was offered to buy a set of data holding information about potential tax evaders hiding their assets abroad. This weekend the financial minister condemned how the DTI has handled the offer and told RÚV that it was unattainable to pay for the information with “cash in a suitcase”.
It seems as the unknown seller has declined an achievement related payment and is only willing to accept an up front fee for the data set.
Árni Páll Árnason, the chairman of the Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin), has said that it is indecent by financial minister Bjarni to make a scapegoat of the DTI and that it is indeed his responsibility to secure an access to the data set for Iceland’s tax authorites.
Pirate party leader Birgitta Jónsdóttir has also lambasted Bjarni and told Vísir that it seems like his family affairs are getting into his way. Bjarni’s family is one of Iceland’s oldest business dynasties.
Read more: Tax sinners might be offered amnesty if they turn themselves in
Bryndís Kristjánsdóttir, DTI’s director, has not responded to Bjarni’s criticism.
Tax evasion is a crime in Iceland and conviction may result in fines and imprisonment.
