While Iceland’s stupendous financial meltdown apparently doomed its front-runner status in October’s elections to the UN Security Council, the European Union evidently has no such qualms about admitting the country.
Iceland could win early European Union membership, a top European Commission official was quoted as saying on Friday, amid expectations it will apply for entry to help stave off its financial crisis.
“The EU prefers two countries joining at the same time rather than individually. If Iceland applies shortly and the negotiations are rapid, Croatia and Iceland could join the EU in parallel,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn was quoted as saying by The Guardian.
Joining the EU is a turnaround from Iceland’s earlier wariness toward acceding to the body, but I guess that’s what a new government and a crippling financial crisis can do to a country. Just to be sure, though, maybe Reykjavik should slip some of those tasty Icelandic pancakes down to Brussels…