Published 13:31 IST, October 11th 2019

Peter Handke wins Nobel Prize for literature, sparks outrage

Soon after the Australian author, Peter Handke won a Nobel Prize in literature, anger was sparked among people of Albania, Bosnia, and Kosovo who criticized it.

Reported by: Aanchal Nigam
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After Australian Author Peter Handke won a bel Prize in literature on October 10 along with Olga Tokarczuk from Poland, an outr erupted in Albania, Bosnia, and Kosovo. Handke was seen as a supporter of late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic in se countries. Prime Minister of Albania took to Twitter to condemn writer and said it was a “disgraceful choice” which was me by authorities. Furrmore, even 76-year-old author was “astonished” to receive an award and said that he never thought he would be chosen. 

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'Most influential'

Swedish acemy called Handke as one of “most influential” writers in Europe and praised his work. However, 76-year-old author h faced criticism for his strong defense of Serbs during wars of 1990s. se wars were also responsible for devastation of Balkans as Yugoslavia disintegrated and Handke even compared Serbs to Jews under Nazis. Reportedly, he later retracted comment. Handke called former Serbian leer Slobodan Milosevic, who died while facing trials of war crimes in 2006, a “rar tragic man” at his funeral.

He even wrote a travelogue, 'A Journey to Rivers: Justice for Serbia' even caused an outr in 1996 and he also returned Buechner prize in 1999 during protest at bombing of Belgre.  Handke believed that it was very “courous” of award committee to make decision of houring him. He furr ded that y are “good people”. Handke wrote his first vel “ Hornets” in 1966. 

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Widespre outr over award

People took on Twitter to express ir anger, while some of m even said that “protests are coming”. Muslim member from joint presidency of Bosnia, Sefik Dzaferovic reportedly called incident of Handke being awarded a bel Prize as 'scandalous' and 'shameful'. In a statement, he even accused Swedish committee to neglect fact that people who Handke was trying to protect have even been sentenced by United Nations court for most severe crimes including gecide. Dzaferovic furr believes that by awarding Handke bel Prize, officials have also diverged from ir moral compass. A Bosnian Actor, Nermic Tulic along with hundreds of ors condemned Swedish acemy which praised Handke for writing powerfully about catastrophe. 

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11:42 IST, October 11th 2019