Berg’s lawyer asks Norway for “spy exchange”

Frode Berg MarchFrode Berg.Photo: Privat / NTB scanpix

Ilja Novikov, spy Frode Berg’s lawyer, believes Russia would swap his client for the release of a Russian spy.

 

“I think that if you have already started working on an exchange, the investigation will end soon and the verdict will come soon. In that case, Berg will come home during
the year,” Novikov told TV 2 news.

The proposal from the Russian lawyer, who met Berg on Monday in the Moscow prison, Lefortovo, may have to involve one of Norway’s allied states. This is because
Norway currently has no Russian intelligence agents in prison.

To VG newspaper, Novikov outlined Norway’s solution to a “senior political leader” visiting Russia in connection with the summer’s World Cup in football.

“There are plenty of prominent figures that Putin would like to host for a World Cup,” Novikov said, after also talking to NRK.

Want public support

Berg’s lawyer told the channel that his client is disappointed with the silence of the Norwegian authorities in connection to his case.

The 62 year old retired border inspector refuses to pay a penalty.

However, through his lawyers, he has said that he worked for the Detention Service when Russian security police arrested him in Moscow on the 5th of December last year. Now, according to Novikov, he wishes that Norway should be openly “in support for him”.

Sticking to the framework

When NTB news spoke to the Foreign Minister, Ine Eriksen Søreide on Wednesday, she referred to the situation as a “consular case”.

She also said that Norway relies on the Russian justice system.

“We will try to help Frode Berg as well as we can within the framework.

This means that we work along many different tracks to safeguard his interests,” said Søreide.

The Foreign Minister didn’t comment on Berg’s alleged affiliation with the Intelligence Service.

‘’I cannot discuss or comment on that type of information. You may try the E-service,” said Eriksen Søreide.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today