Anfinn Kallsberg – Wikipedia, La Enciclopedia Libre

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Anfinn Kallsberg (Klaksvík, Borðoy, November 19, 1947) is a fierce politician of the Popular Party who held the position of Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands between 1998 and 2004. He was elected to Parliament (Løgting) for the first time in 1980. He served as a minister of fishing from 1983 to 1985, president of the Løgting between 1991 and 1993, and Minister of Finance and Economics from 1996 to 1998. He was also president of his party for 14 years, between 1991 and 2007.

As Prime Minister, he initiated a process towards greater independence from the Faroe Islands with respect to Denmark. It also began oil explorations in the fierce subsoil.

Beginnings and professional career [ To edit ]

Anfinn Kallsberg was born in the city of Klaksvík in 1947, being the son of Gunnar and Katrina Kallsberg. He had a training in commerce and accounting. He worked at the J.F. Kjølbro in Klaksvík between 1964 and 1974 and directed his own accounting office between 1974 and 1996. He also served as part of the Board of Directors of the Klaksvík Hospital from 1991 to 1996. [ first ] ​ [ 2 ] It lies, together with his wife and children, in the town of Viðareiði. [ 2 ] ​

Political [ To edit ]

Between 1974 and 1980 he held the position of mayor of the municipality of Viðareiði, which he resigned from being elected deputy of Løgting for the district of Norðoyar. After 3 years at the Løgting, in 1983 he was appointed Minister of Fishing and Commerce in the Government of Pauli Ellefsen, a position in which he served until 1985 when the Ellefsen government ended. [ first ] Kallsberg returned to a public office in the first government of Jogvan Sundstein, when he briefly held the post of Minister of Fishing and Municipalities, from January to June 1989.

Kallsberg was president of Løgting between 1991 and 1993, and a member of the Løgting delegation before the Nordic Council in 1991 and between 1994 and 1998. [ first ] In 1993 he was elected president of the Popular Party. He was Minister of Finance and Economics in the second government of Edmund Joensen (1996-1998), [ 2 ] Playing a key role in the time immediately after the financial crisis that hit the Faroe during the first half of the 1990s.

In the 1998 parliamentary elections, the Popular Party achieved a considerable vote, and was able to lead a coalition government between separatist forces that included the Republican Party and the self -government party, with Kallsberg as prime minister. [ 2 ] During this government, Kallsberg’s political agenda was marked by negotiations with Denmark about a future full independence of the Faroe Islands to form a republic. The negotiations failed in the year 2000, and in 2001 a popular referendum was canceled that surveys anticipated as not favorable to independence.

The government coalition won by little margin the 2002 elections, two weeks after oil exploration in the fierce subsoil was revealed. Given the little margin of political maneuver, the coalition had to be extended including the center of Center, Christian Democratic Guidance. [ 2 ] The Kallsberg government requested the gradual withdrawal of the subsidies from Denmark, in a period between 8 and 12 years, but the Danish government refused to prolong subsidies beyond 4 years.

In 2003, a confrontation was generated between Prime Minister and Høgni Hoydal, leader of the Republicans, after a scandal unleashed by the publication of a book that indicated that Kallsberg’s accounting office had made a transfer of 1 million crowns of a company Fish processor to a company that Kallsberg was co -owner. Although Kallsberg returned the money, the coalition broke, the Republican ministers were removed from the government on December 5, and the prime minister summoned elections. [ 3 ] Despite the scandal, the Popular Party reached a close victory in the 2004 elections, but Kallsberg was not part of the new government.

In 2005 he occupied one of the two fierce seats in folketing (Danish parliament), [ first ] Together with his former ally Høgni Hoydal, until 2007, when he was not reelected. In November of that same year, on the occasion of the National Congress of the Popular Party, Kallsberg did not try to re -elect as a candidate for the presidency of his party, being replaced by Jørgen Niclasen. However, he presented himself to the 2008 parliamentary elections, being elected again a member of the Løgting. He was president of the Løgting Finance Committee until January 2011, when he retired.

Recognition [ To edit ]

Anfinn Kalsberg was awarded in 2001 with the star of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon, [ 4 ] And on July 20, 2005 he was appointed Knight of the Order of Dannebrog. [ 5 ] ​

References [ To edit ]