Danko: Slovak-Czech Relations Shouldn't Suffer Because of Other Countries

Bratislava, 16 July (TASR) – Relations between Slovakia and the Czech Republic should not be strained other third countries — not Ukraine, the United States, or Russia, SNS leader and Parliament's Vice-chair Andrej Danko declared on Wednesday. Statements about who was behind the bomb threats do not help bilateral relations, Danko stated in his social media post - referring to recent police cooperation between Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine, as well as ongoing debates about the procurement of Russian raw materials. „I deeply regret that (Czech) Prime Minister Petr Fiala refused a joint government meeting. He rejected an outstretched hand. Regardless of who is the prime minister of the Czech or Slovak Republic, it is their duty to improve relations between the two countries. It is their obligation to take care of them,” Danko stated. On Wednesday morning, Slovak police announced a joint operation in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, where one Ukrainian national was detained. The operation involved Slovak, Czech, and Ukrainian authorities. Czech police later confirmed the operation and stated that the National Centre for Combating Terrorism, Extremism, and Cybercrime, along with the Czech intelligence service (BIS), had been involved. The Czech Police Presidium confirmed that a young man suspected of making bomb threats was detained on Wednesday. According to BIS, the suspect had actually been arrested on Tuesday (15 July), and they stated he was likely financed by Russia. mf