REYKJAVIK, May 27 (Reuters) - Iceland's parliamentary opposition parties plan to submit a joint proposal with their own conditions for opening accession talks with the European Union, an Icelandic newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The Independence Party parliamentary group has mandated its leader Bjarni Benediktsson to seek agreement with the other side of the opposition, the Progressive Party, to present a proposal in the Althing (parliament) on Thursday, the daily Morgunbladid reported on its website.
The proposal could muddy the waters for the island nation's parliament after its government on Monday presented its EU application proposal to the Althing.
The opposition wants the Althing's foreign affairs committee to play a key role in the preparations, instead of the cabinet, as suggested by the government, the report said.
Support for negotiations on EU membership, and ultimately the adoption of the euro currency, has risen following the economic meltdown that ensued after Iceland's banks collapsed under the weight of massive debts last year.
A spokesman in the prime minister's office said on Monday an EU application could be submitted as early as July. (Reporting by Omar Valdimarsson; writing by Victoria Klesty; editing by Andrew Roche)