Carl Baudenbacher Rebuts Claims of Russian Ties Ahead of Iceland Vote

Baudenbacher specifically addresses claims made by professor Thorvaldur Gylfason, who suggested the lawyer was brought to Iceland by opponents of EU membership to serve the interests of the Russian regime. Baudenbacher clarifies that his recent lecture in the country was a pro bono engagement at the invitation of academics from the University of Iceland, with organizers covering only basic travel expenses.

Regarding his legal practice, the professor confirms he is representing Vélfag ehf., an Icelandic fish-processing technology firm currently challenging government sanctions before the EFTA Surveillance Authority. He emphasizes that this appointment was requested by local counsel and authorized by Iceland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Asserting that legal representation is a cornerstone of the judicial process, he argues that conflating a lawyer’s work with the political cause of a client is an insinuation that ignores established UN principles and EU legal standards. Baudenbacher views the timing of these accusations, coming just three days before the national referendum, as an attempt to undermine his professional standing rather than address the substance of his arguments.