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70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany

Norwegian daily calls PM’s decision to stay away from VE-Day trip to Moscow cowardly

Dagbladet said the Norwegian government was blindly walking in the footsteps of the EU and ignoring a special type of relationship that had taken shape between the countries in the Barents region

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg EPA/MINH HOANG

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg

© EPA/MINH HOANG

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Leaders of five EU countries to take part in Victory Day celebrations in Moscow — diplomat

OSLO, May 7. /TASS/. Norwegian daily Dagbladet has dismissed as erroneous and cowardly the decision by Prime Minister Erna Solberg to renounce a trip to Moscow where she was expected to join the festivities on the occasion of the 70th anniversary since the end of World War II on May 9.

Dagbladet said in a commentary the decision signaled an error and an act of cowardice and was primitive because the Norwegian government was blindly walking in the footsteps of the EU and ignoring a special type of relationship that had taken shape between the countries in the Barents region.

The newspaper also saw the signs of unimaginativeness in it, since Norwegian representatives could have chosen any other form of presence in Moscow if they did not want to attend a major military parade on Red Square.

Norwegian Foreign Ministry said earlier the presence of any members of the Norwegian government at the Victory Parade in Moscow might send an incorrect signal, since Norway thought Russia had been guilty of encroaching on international law and destabilizing the situation in eastern Ukraine.

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Dagbladet said in this connection Norway could continue supporting its viewpoint and acting in solidarity with the EU as regards the sanctions against Moscow but still it could show more respect for the Soviet people’s wartime deeds.

The newspaper believes that the government should have made known its gratitude to Russia and the Soviet Union for the liberation of Norway and Europe at large seventy years ago.

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Norway 70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany

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