ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə pɹˈɛs ɹᵻpˈoːɹts, ɐ mədʒˈɔːɹᵻɾi ʌvðə sˈɪɾi kˈaʊnsəl ʌv dˈuːsɪldˌoːɹf dɪdnˌɑːt wˈɔnt tʊ ɐwˈɔːɹd ðə pɹˈaɪz tə hˈændk, ˈɑːɹɡjuːɪŋ ðæt hɪz pɚsˈiːvd səpˈoːɹt ʌv slˈɑːbɑːdən maɪlˈɑːʃvɪkz əpɹˈɛsɪv ɹeɪʒˈiːm wʌz ɪn blˈeɪtənt kˈɑːnflɪkt wɪððə spˈɪɹɪt ʌvðə pɹˈaɪz.
According to press reports, a majority of the city council of Düsseldorf did not want to award the prize to Handke, arguing that his (perceived) support of Slobodan Milošević's oppressive regime was in blatant conflict with the spirit of the prize.