Progressive Slovakia Calls for Strengthening of Diplomatic Staff in Middle East

Bratislava, 4 March (TASR) - The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party believes that the government is misreading the situation in the Middle East, pointing out that there are still many Slovak citizens in the region and that there will be more of them than those who are registered, member of the PS's presidium and ex-foreign minister Ivan Korcok told a press conference on Wednesday. Therefore, according to the party, several steps need to be taken. For example, PS called for diplomatic personnel in the region to be strengthened and for cooperation to be established between the Slovak crisis management team and crisis management teams in neighbouring countries. "The government is misreading the situation. If they would just turn on the TV at the Foreign Ministry, they would understand that what we've seen so far in terms of military operations against Iran by the United States and Israel is only a taste of what awaits us. I'm asking the question: if the situation remains as it is in a week or two and our citizens are unable to get home, what will this government do?" he asked. Korcok believes that several steps need to be taken in this situation. According to him, intervention teams and diplomatic personnel need to be sent to the region. He also spoke about the need for cooperation between the Slovak crisis management team and crisis management teams in neighbouring countries. The former foreign minister also said that when the window for evacuating Slovak citizens opens, the state's capacities won't be able to cope. "During the COVID-19 pandemic, when we evacuated tens of thousands of citizens, we booked charters," he added. PS members also commented on the termination of the contract between the Slovak Electricity Transmission System (SEPS) and its Ukrainian partner on providing emergency electricity. PS leader Michal Simecka criticised Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) for this move, calling it senseless. "If we don't supply Ukraine with emergency electricity, someone else will, and someone else will profit from it," he stated. He believes that the prime minister should negotiate with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instead. am/df