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LoginIceland: Voters Head to Polls on Reopening EU Accession Talks
Reykjavík, August 29 (QNA) - Icelandic voters headed to the polls Saturday to take part in a referendum on reopening negotiations on the nation's accession to the European Union.
Opinion polls showed a close race between those in favor of membership in the European bloc and those who pushed back against it, making the outcome of the referendum hard to predict.
Those who countenance reopening the negotiations contend that joining the EU could ease the impact of elevated interest rates and provide greater security for Iceland.
Opponents, however, say joining the regional bloc would imperil the island's sovereignty and its fishing waters.
If voters approve the pitch, it would only open the door to talks with Brussels. Iceland would then have to hold a second referendum, most likely several years later, on joining the EU.
Iceland first applied to join the European bloc in 2009, amid a financial crisis that hit its economy. The talks ended in 2013, when the Icelandic government at the time decided to freeze the process. (QNA)
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