OSLO, Norway (AP) — The latest developments in the awarding of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. All times local.

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12:05 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman says that recognizing Tunisia's National Dialogue Quartet is "an excellent decision" by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Steffen Seibert said Friday that the Nobel Peace Prize is "the deserved reward for working on democracy, for sticking to the idea that a people that has shaken off dictatorship deserves something better than a new dictatorship."

Merkel herself had been viewed as a favorite for the prize ahead of Friday's announcement. Asked if his comments reflected relief that she didn't win it at a time when political tensions have been rising over Merkel's policies in the refugee crisis, Seibert told reporters: "No. You are hearing happiness about a very good decision ..., great respect for the achievement of the prizewinners, and the rest is speculation that only you engaged in, and not us."

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11:55 a.m.

Poland's former president and Nobel laureate Lech Walesa says the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to a Tunisian democracy group is an expression of praise for its activity and encouragement to further "wise activity."

Walesa, who won the prize in 1983, said he contributed to the group's activity when he visited Tunisia in 2011 and shared his experience from Poland's bloodless political reforms. Walesa led the Solidarity freedom movement in the 1980s that brought about the ouster of communism.

"I think that the Nobel Prize committee took a close look and did the right thing: it rewarded a good struggle and encouraged further wise activity," he said.

"Democratic processes are not finished there yet and such awards are important because they reassure that the right things are being done."

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11:45 a.m.

Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom has congratulated the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet for winning the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize and says the prize is well-deserved.

Wallstrom told Sweden's state broadcaster SVT "it is a long and difficult process to achieve democratic reforms in a country that has been subjected to such a difficult situation, but it (Tunisia) has done everything right and it has been done with active support from civil society."

She calls Tunisia "one of few examples of success" following the Arab spring uprisings and says she hopes the prize will help inspire other countries that are struggling to reform.

She particularly praised the country's establishment of a new constitution that was anchored among women and young people and its attempts to establish consensus between different parties.

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11:30 a.m.

A Tunisian union leader who played a key role in democracy-building that won the Nobel Peace Prize says he's "overwhelmed" by the gesture.

Houcine Abassi, secretary general of the UGTT union, told The Associated Press on Friday, "It's a prize that crowns more than two years of efforts deployed by the quartet when the country was in danger on all fronts."

"I am happy," he said, adding that the quartet members weren't expecting the prize.

He described how the UGTT, a human rights group, a trade group and a lawyers group joined together to try to "bring the country out of crisis."

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11:15 a.m.

Tunisian protesters sparked uprising across the Arab world in 2011 that overthrew dictators and upset the status quo. Tunisia is the only country in the region to painstakingly build a democracy, involving a range of political and social forces in dialogue to create a constitution, legislature and democratic institutions.

While Tunisia has been much less violent than neighboring Libya or Syria, its transition to democracy has been marred by occasional violence, notably from Islamic extremists.

An attack in June on a beach resort in Sousse left 38 dead, mostly British tourists. Another in March killed 22 people at the country's leading museum, the Bardo in Tunis — also primarily tourists.

The prize comes the day after unidentified assailants shot repeatedly at a lawmaker and prominent sports magnate in Sousse, underscoring a sense of uncertainty in the city, which depends heavily on tourism.

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11 a.m.

The Nobel Peace Prize jury says The National Dialogue Quartet in Tunisia has won this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

The jury cited the group Friday for "its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011."

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9:25 a.m.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee is set to announce the 2015 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize amid speculation that the prize could highlight Europe's migration crisis, peace talks in Colombia or a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal.

Pope Francis is among the nominees for this year's award though the committee has been reluctant in the past to consider popes — none has been honored since the first Nobel Prizes in 1901.

The five-member committee has released no hints ahead of the announcement, scheduled for 0900 GMT.

A favorite among those placing bets is German Chancellor Angela Merkel for pledging to keep her country's borders open to hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing from Syria and other countries.

Others mentioned in the buzz include the Rev. Mussi Zerai, an Eritrean priest who helps coordinate rescue missions for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, and Saudi blogger Raif Badawi.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif could be candidates for their July deal on Iran's nuclear program, as could Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and rebel leader Rodrigo Londono.