Prime Minister Erna Solberg (H) congratulated this year’s Peace Prize winners. However, she said that she doesn’t think the award to Dmitry Muratov will affect Norway’s relations with Russia.
“This award is a statement of support to the press and journalists all over the world,” Solberg said during a press conference on Friday afternoon. She also stressed the importance of facts and critical journalism.
“Both the freedom of expression and the freedom of information are an important prerequisite for democracy and protection against war and conflict.”
When asked if the prize could affect Norway’s relations with Russia, Solberg replied:
“I noted that Putin’s spokesman also congratulated (the winners), so I think it is going well,” Solberg said and added that the Nobel Committee is independent of the Norwegian authorities.
The Nobel Committee pointed out that Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov received the award for their efforts related to freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
Do you have a news tip for Norway Today? We want to hear it. Get in touch at [email protected]
Astonishing … and probably not what the Peace Committee was hoping to provoke:
MOSCOW, Oct 8 (Reuters) – The Kremlin on Friday congratulated Dmitry Muratov, an editor and journalist, on winning the Nobel peace prize despite the fact that his Novaya Gazeta newspaper has often criticised the Russian authorities.
Muratov was one of two journalists to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which this year honoured the right to free speech which the prize-giving committee said was under threat around the globe.
“We can congratulate Dmitry Muratov,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“He persistently works in accordance with his own ideals, he is devoted to them, he is talented, he is brave,” said Peskov.
Reading a Washington Post article, I hadn’t realized so many Russian journalists have been murdered, “execution-style.”
But – for balance – why didn’t the Committee include Julian Assange?