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Iceland parliament to vote on EU Icelandic MPs back EU entry bid
(about 4 hours later)
Parliament in Iceland is preparing to vote on whether the Nordic country should seek to join the 27-member European Union. Parliament in Iceland has voted by a narrow majority to set in motion an application to join the European Union, after five days of exhaustive debate.
The Prime Minister, Johanna Sigurdardottir, predicted that the result of the vote would be very close. Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir of the Social Democrats has also been pushing for the adoption of the euro as the Nordic country's currency.
Her Social Democrat party has advocated closer ties to the EU and adoption of the currency, the Euro. The bid must now be approved by the EU, after which Iceland's people will be asked to vote on it in a referendum.
But critics fear Iceland's vital fishing industry could suffer if it is forced to abide by EU quotas. Opponents of the bid fear EU quotas could hurt Iceland's fishing industry.
The vote is taking place after five days of exhaustive debate, and the governing coalition is divided on the issue. Correspondents say Iceland, with a population of just 320,000, has traditionally been sceptical about joining the EU.
Prime Minister Sigurdardottir told state television: "I think the vote will be a very close one, but I am optimistic. It is natural that we take the time to debate the issue." But many people there have warmed to the idea of membership following the devastating economic meltdown which saw the top Icelandic banks collapse in a matter of days last year.
'Everything to lose' The government will formally submit Iceland's bid to the EU in Brussels on 27 July, at a meeting of its foreign ministers.
If parliament supports membership, the Icelandic government will then have to present its application to the EU and - if successful - put the issue to the Icelandic people in a referendum. Members of the 63-seat Althingi, Iceland's parliament, backed the proposal to start membership talks with the EU by 33 votes to 28, with two abstentions.
Opponents have staged demonstrations outside the parliament in Reykjavik, some carrying banners reading: "EU - No Thanks". Five members of the Left Green party, the Social Democrats' partner in the coalition government, rejected it, AFP news agency reports.
One demonstrators said: "We have everything to lose, and nothing to win. This about fisheries and our farmers." The Social Democrats and the Left Greens formed a government at the end of April following a general election.
Correspondents say Iceland, with a population of just 320,000, has traditionally been sceptical about joining the European Union.
But, they say, many people there have warmed to the idea of membership following the devastating economic meltdown which saw the top Icelandic banks collapse in a matter of days last year.


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