During her visit in Vilnius, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg has refused to comment on a reported spy exchange deal with Russia.
She said she was aware of the fact that the Lithuanian parliament is deliberating a law detailing the president’s right to pardon individuals convicted for spying, calling it “an important and good discussion”.
“I know that there is a discussion in the Lithuanian parliament on the amendment to your pardoning laws. I think that is an important and good discussion. I don’t make comments on issues of exchange or agreements, or how the activities will be around that,” Stolberg told journalists at the Lithuanian parliament on Monday.
She said Norway would make every effort to have Norwegian Frode Berg, who has been convicted for spying in Russia, back, but refused to comment in more detail on the issue, saying that his interests should be taken into account.
The Norwegian prime minister is on Monday attending a Vilnius meeting of the leaders of the Nordic and Baltic center-right parties that belong to the European People’s Party.
The Seimas of Lithuania has already deliberated the amendment detailing the president’s right to pardon individuals convicted for spying, and one more vote is needed for it to become law.
