Foreign Policies

Parliamentary Committee Inquorate to Discuss Expulsion of Three Russian Diplomats

Bratislava, April 29 (TASR) – The parliamentary foreign affairs committee didn’t reach the necessary quorum on Thursday to discuss the expulsion of three Russian diplomats from Slovakia after two coalition MPs, Peter Osusky (SaS) and Andrej Stancik (OLANO), walked out.

Committee chairman Marian Kery and Parliamentary Vice-chairman Juraj Blanar, both from the opposition Smer-SD, pointed out that the afore-mentioned coalition MPs were present for a debate on the Government Manifesto but left as soon as the expulsion of diplomats would be discussed.

Osusky said that the views of the government and the opposition on the matter differ deeply and the committee wouldn’t thus be able to pass any resolution, even if they stayed at the session.

“I don’t understand why the coalition was afraid to discuss its moves in foreign policy. We were interested in hearing the reasons for expelling the Russian diplomats from Slovakia,” said Kery.

Meanwhile, Blanar believes that the expulsion of Russian diplomats in solidarity with the Czech Republic was rash, as the Czechs still haven’t concluded investigation into the blast in an ammunition warehouse in 2014 and there are also different opinions on the alleged involvement of Russian spies in the incident even among top officials in the Czech Republic. The expulsion can therefore damage Slovakia’s national interests for no solid reason, added Blanar.

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