Slovakia Decides to Cut Down Personnel of Russian Embassy by 35 People (2)

Bratislava, March 30 (TASR) - Slovakia decided to cut down the number of personnel of the Russian Embassy to Slovakia by 35 individuals, with the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry summoning Russian Ambassador Igor Bratchikov to present him with a diplomatic note on the decision, TASR learnt from the ministry press department on Wednesday. The Russian Ambassador was summoned to the ministry based on information acquired by Slovak intelligence services about activities of another Russian diplomat that stand in breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The cuts to the Embassy's personnel will lead to new reduced caps on the number of holders of diplomatic passports related to the Russian diplomatic mission. "In this context, it is with regret that we must state that, following the previous expulsions of Russian diplomats, the Russian diplomatic mission has not shown any interest in the fair conduct on our soil in the last two years," said the ministry. This decision puts a period to the chapter in the functioning of the Russian Embassy to Slovakia that wasn't in accord with the professed interest in partnership relations. "We hope that a quick end to the war in Ukraine and a conduct of the Russian diplomatic mission in accord with usual principles will enable us to build our ties on the basis of mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation," stated the ministry. mf