Iceland names interim governor of Central Bank

Special Report:Global Financial Crisis

STOCKHOLM, Feb. 27 (Chinese media) -- Iceland on Friday

hired a Norwegian economist as interim governor of Sedlabanki, the country's

central bank, according to reports.

Svein Harald Oeygard, who has 11 years of experience

in Norway's central bank, finance ministry and parliament, was appointed as

interim governor, Sedlabanki said in a statement.

Arnor Sighvatsson, the bank's chief economist, was

named interim deputy governor.

Oeygard and Sighvatsson will hold their positions

until the government makes permanent appointments, the statement said.

"Oeygard has extensive experience from Norwegian

administration and company consultancy, which should come in handy," Olafur

Isleifsson, an economics professor at Reykjavik University, told the Iceland

newspaper Morgunbladid.

The parliament passed a reform bill on Thursday that

paved the way for the removal of David Oddsson as bank chief.

Oddsson had been viewed by many Icelanders as one of

the key figures responsible for the country's economic collapse in October.

Oddsson had already announced his resignation earlier Thursday before parliament

passed the bill.

The new government, which was sworn in Feb. 1, had

demanded Oddsson's resignation and when he refused to do so, presented a reform

bill to parliament in an effort to remove him.

Iceland's new PM to reshuffle governors of Central Bank

STOCKHOLM, Feb. 3 (Chinese media) -- Johanna Sigurdardottir, Iceland's new prime minister, said Tuesday she will present a bill to reshuffle governors of Central Bank, according to reports reaching here from Reykjavik.

Sigurdardottir sent letters Monday to the Central Bank's three governors and requested them stepping down by Thursday this week, reported the Icelandic newspaper Morgubladid. Full story

Iceland's commerce minister resigns

STOCKHOLM, Jan. 25 (Chinese media) -- Iceland's Commerce Minister Bjorgvin Sigurdsson announced his decision on Sunday to quit the coalition government, news reports from Reykjavik said.

"I have decided to do this to take responsibility" for the economic collapse in the country, Sigurdsson was quoted as saying at a press conference. Full story

Iceland to get $2 billion loan from IMF

STOCKHOLM, Oct. 24 (Chinese media) -- The Icelandic government announced Friday that it had reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a comprehensive economic stabilization program including a 2 billion U.S. dollars loan from the fund.

"The program requires approval from the management of the IMF. Iceland would be able to draw 830 million U.S. dollars immediately after the IMF board approves the program," the government said in a press release, adding that they are confident that the IMF's management will support the program and submit it for approval by the IMF's executive board as soon as possible. Full story