Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has accused the Nobel Foundation of «destroying its credibility» by leaving out the Russian and Belarusian ambassadors to Sweden, the organization’s host country, from the award ceremony.
«Unfortunately, with such steps, the Nobel Foundation continues to destroy its credibility as a competent and impartial arbiter of the achievements of scientists from different countries,» Zakharova told a press conference.
The diplomatic spokeswoman also regretted that this decision is yet another example of the, according to her, politicization and anti-Russian sentiment that prevails in the majority of the Swedish population, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
«Of course, these steps taken by the Nobel Foundation in the style of the biased campaign jointly pushed by the West to abolish (Russian) culture will have no effect on our country’s determination to protect its interests,» she added.
The Nobel Foundation reported earlier this week that the Russian and Belarusian ambassadors to Sweden were excluded from the award ceremony, scheduled for December 10 in the Swedish capital Stockholm.
Along with the two representatives, the organization also left off the guest list Jimmy Akesson, leader of the far-right Sweden Democrats, which consolidated its position as the second most voted force in the recent general elections in the Nordic country.
