Foreign Ministry: Greece Shouldn't Interfere in Slovak Internal Affairs

Bratislava, March 11 (TASR) – Slovakia’s Foreign and European Affairs Ministry sent a diplomatic message to Greek Ambassador to Slovakia Nicolas Panagiotis Plexidas on Thursday expressing concern and regret over what it called repeated efforts to influence internal political developments in Slovakia, the ministry’s press department told TASR on Friday.

The ministry was responding to an interview that Plexidas gave to Dennik N daily, describing his statements as unacceptable. Plexidas, for example, evaluated the results of Saturday’s parliamentary election (March 5) as well as Prime Minister and Smer-SD chairman Robert Fico’s election campaign.

Plexidas stated that Fico played the xenophobia card, remarking that this tactic didn’t work. “He contributed to the fact that xenophobic sentiment has risen among Slovaks, and from that viewpoint it’s only natural that people have sought haven in authentic anti-immigration and xenophobic forces, such as the party of Mr. Kotleba, for example,” said Plexidas, referring to Marian Kotleba and his Kotleba-People’s Party Our Slovakia (LSNS)

“The Slovak side isn’t interested in inciting negative moods in bilateral relations between two traditionally friendly and historically affiliated European states and nations, but it resolutely protests against such moves,” stated the ministry, adding that Slovakia has in the long term confirmed real efforts to assist Greece in addressing its issues.

The ministry expects Greek diplomats in terms of their mission to help strengthen good and friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries.

The Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry also expects that the Greek side will avoid interfering in Slovakia’s internal affairs and will refrain from personal attacks on the most senior state representatives of a fellow EU country.

In fact, the ministry also summoned Plexidas last week over a statement from the Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry that was published on its website on Friday, March 4. This described Fico’s comments on the migration crisis as provocative. “It’s obvious that the Slovak prime minister, just a few days before the election in his country, wants to invest vitriol and human drama into his election campaign,” stated the Greek ministry. The Slovak ministry strongly denounced this statement.