The fact that Peter Handke received the Nobel Prize has aroused great debate both in Sweden and internationally. Critics say he has belittled or denied genocide and expressed support for Serbia's former leader Slobodan Milošević, who was charged with war crimes.

Those who defend him instead believe that Peter Handke's willingness to nuance a one-sided debate in 90's Austria has been mistaken as a political position. It is clear that the Academy has not found reason to believe in the charges against Handke.

- Peter Handke has an authorship of about 80 titles and we have not been able to find anything in these works that violates the basic values ​​that we must follow. He is a great writer and should be judged as such, says Anders Olsson, chairman of the Nobel Committee.

- Then there is a very large frame of freedom of speech and a person may have made provocative statements, but that does not affect the assessment of the literary work, says Mats Malm.

Understand the reactions

Among those who have reacted to the choice of Nobel laureates in literature are, among others, the family organization Srebrenica's mothers and the Prime Minister of Albania.

- I would like to emphasize that we really do not detract from the feelings and wounds that exist from these events, says Mats Malm.

- At the same time, I think we have to look at what Peter Handke really said? says Anders Olsson.

You have just begun to recover from a serious crisis of confidence, how smart was it that this year to give the prize to a writer who once again put the Academy and the Nobel Prize in the midst of a storm of criticism of international standards?

- You must not be tactical in such situations, but it is quality that applies. Then we must also have the courage to invest in literary quality, nothing else. Otherwise, we might as well lower the price, says Anders Olsson.