Slovakia to Expel Three Russian Diplomats
Bratislava, March 14 (TASR) – Slovakia has decided to expel three employees of the Russian embassy in Slovakia, Foreign Ministry spokesman Juraj Tomaga told TASR on Monday, adding that the reason is their activities in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The diplomats must leave Slovakia within 72 hours.
Slovakia took this step based on the evaluation of the Slovak intelligence services. The Foreign Affairs Ministry urges the Russian Embassy to carry out its activities in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, to which both countries committed themselves in the past, and to refrain from further activities in violation of the convention, other provisions of international law and diplomatic practice.
The Dennik N daily reported on Monday that Slovak security forces allegedly detained three people on suspicion of espionage, including a colonel from the Slovak Defence Ministry, a member of the Slovak Intelligence Service, and a person associated with the Hlavnespravy.sk website. The police have not yet confirmed this information.