Progressive Party MP Vigdís Hauksdóttir caused controversy yesterday when she claimed that there was a famine in Europe, reports Eyjan.

While on the radio programme Mín skoðun (“My Opinion”), the MP said that she felt not only that Europe was in great decline but that “there is a famine in Europe.”

Vigdís’ comments caused some controversy and the Communication Director of UNICEF, Sigríður Víðis Jónsdóttir, has criticised the MP for her flippant use of the word famine.

“We need to call things by the right name so as not to trivialise what an horrific thing famine actually is,” said Sigríður, adding that roughly 5,400 – 10,800 people would lose their life each day if there was an actual famine in Rome, for example.

While on the programme the MP also made the mistake of saying Malta was not a sovereign nation, but rather a small self-governing state within a larger country. Malta gained independence in 1964.