Icelanders have rejected the resumption of EU accession talks, according to the final results of yesterday's referendum, world agencies reported, quoted by BTA.
This is a serious blow to Brussels, which had looked favorably on the candidacy of the wealthy island state in the North Atlantic Ocean.
To the question "Should Iceland resume EU accession talks?" 52.8% of Icelanders answered "no" and 47.2% "yes", according to official results published by public broadcaster RUV after all ballots were counted.
The Associated Press reports that the capital Reykjavik was the only region in the country to support the referendum.
The announced result is likely to freeze any discussions about Iceland's membership until at least 2028 and is a disappointment for the EU, which seemed ready to compromise to accept Iceland into its ranks, AFP notes.
In 2009, after a severe financial crisis that rocked its economy, the country with a population of nearly 400,000 people applied for EU membership, but in 2013, after a eurosceptic government came to power, negotiations were frozen.
Iceland is currently closely linked to the EU through its membership of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Schengen Area. It is expected that these relations will remain unchanged.