Is Icelandic citizenship for sale?

[CHIMO]

On Saturday, Icelanders will go to the polls to vote on the whether their country should repay the British and Dutch governments for the losses incurred when the internet bank Icesave went bust in 2008. The opposing yes and no camps have been running a fierce campaign battle, and the national conversation has been completely dominated by the dispute. Indeed, mention the word "Icesave" to Icelanders, and most want to run for cover. Which is why the matter of the "golden geese" last week provided something of a welcome respite.

The story took most everyone by surprise. Ten mega-rich investors from the US and Canada had contacted Icelandic authorities and were pledging to invest up to $15bn into our cash-strapped economy. All they wanted was a teeny-weeny favour in return: Icelandic citizenship for themselves and their children.

To the glib observer, the deal certainly sounded attractive. The tycoons' Canadian attorney, one David Lesperance, gushed to Iceland's national public-service broadcaster RÚV that the group had been so taken with the country that they wanted to "join team Iceland". They were, he said, "motivated beyond money" and were primarily looking to invest in the country for political and philanthropic reasons.

When the reporter sounded doubtful, he quickly added that they were also concerned about the number of nuclear power plants being built where they lived, and about their children being drafted into the military. Neither of which would happen if they lived in Iceland.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/07/icelandic-citizenship-golden-geese