Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic decided, after consultations, that Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic will attend the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony to Chinese dissident Lui Xiaobo in Oslo on Friday, Tanjug was told at the prime minister’s office.

That decision met expectations of a large part of political and wider public in Serbia. Serbia was in Oslo, among countries at the award of one of the most prestigious prizes in the world.

On Tuesday, the Nobel committee announced that Serbia is one of the 19 countries to boycott this ceremony.

In the meantime, it was reported this decision was made by the Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic in an atmosphere where political parties and many nongovernmental organizations warned this was a wrong move. With prime minister’s decision the case was closed.

As reported in October, Nobel prizes in 2010 were awarded to: Maria Vargas Llosa for literature, for chemistry Richard F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi and Akira Suzuki, for physics Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, for medicine Robert G. Edwards, for economy Peter A. Diamond, Dale T. Mortensen and Christopher A. Pissarides.

Nobel Peace Prize for 2010 was awarded to Chinese writer and dissident Lui Xiaobo, sentenced to 11 years in prison in China. For that reason, he will not be able to attend the ceremony in Norwegian capital.

As has happened before, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize spurred some severe polemics – this time between Beijing and Oslo, i.e. western countries.

Oslo committee’s decision since the beginning met Beijing’s disapproval.

China sees that as “politicised decision”, because, as they say, the prize was awarded to a criminal sabotaging Chinese government. “That is an indecent decision”, Chinese Foreign Ministry stated. Norway discards Beijing’s allegations.

Nobel Prize is established based on Swedish innovator Alfred Nobel’s (1833-1896) will. Except diploma and golden medal, prize winners receive USD million each.

Degert satisfied with decision of Serbian government

Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia Vincent Degert expressed satisfaction on Friday over the decision of the Serbian government to send a representative to the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony to Chinese dissident Lui Xiaobo in Oslo.

Discussing tolerance of media, Deger stated at a round table on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day in the Palace of Serbia that it is very important to recognize effort of people who fight for human rights.

He underscored that the EU commends the defenders of human rights around the globe trying to put a stop to the violation of human rights, adding that this is a good cause that all of us are struggling to realize.

I expect that Serbia will work in the same direction. We hope that Serbia will join the countries which have such concepts of democracy and human rights, Degert said.

Jankovic decides to attend Oslo ceremony

Serbian Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic said on Friday that it was his own decision to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo.

Human rights should always be above politics, and this year's Peace Prize winner is an ordinary citizen, not some statesman or politician, he said.

Jankovic, who is the first ombudsman ever appointed in Serbia, recalled that he has insisted on the autonomy of the ombudsman since the very beginning of his term.

I regret the fact that my trip to Oslo has triggered speculations regarding the reasons for my decision, Jankovic's cabinet released.

The ombudsman decided to go to Oslo after Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic dismissed his request to reconsider the stand regarding Serbia's attendance at the ceremony awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo on Friday, the statement reads.

Jankovic conferred with Jeremic on December 8, and one day after that, on December 9, decided to attend the Oslo ceremony.