Lajcak: Slovakia Unsure Yet Who to Recognise as Venezuelan President

Bratislava, February 6 (TASR) - Slovakia doesn't know yet who it will recognise as the new leader of Venezuela, said Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak before the Cabinet session on Wednesday. "I think I'll be able to tell you more after the session, as I'll discuss the issue with the prime minister. At the moment I must actually find out what the political position of Smer-SD is, I don't know what it is yet," Lajcak told journalists. Nevertheless, Lajcak thinks that Slovakia should take the EU's side. MP Lubos Blaha (Smer-SD), for example, is against Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Lajcak confirmed that he met him earlier on Wednesday to clarify their stances. Despite the disputed presidential election, Nicolas Maduro was inaugurated on January 10 for another six-year term as president of Venezuela. Opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president on January 23. Washington immediately recognised him and said that Maduro was an illegitimate head of state. Guaido has also been recognised by Canada, Israel, most Latin American countries and several European Union states. Conversely, countries such as Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, Cuba, Mexico and Bolivia have supported Maduro. ko/df