Foreign Ministry Rejects Claims Russia Influences Slovak Gov't's Decisions

Bratislava, 1 September (TASR) - Foreign and European Affairs Ministry considers claims by the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party that the government's decision concerning the establishment of the International Claims Commission for Ukraine was influenced by threats from another country to be fabricated, unfounded and false, the ministry's press department told TASR on Tuesday. The ministry rejected any link between the government's decision and threats from another country. "The Foreign and European Affairs Ministry is proceeding in the standard manner with all legal and procedural steps concerning the document on the establishment of the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, as a step to protect international law, recognise the human and material damage caused by the war, and support Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, which may also bring economic opportunities for Slovak companies," the press department declared. The process also includes submitting the document to the government. According to the ministry, this process is still under way, as the government has not decided to reject the document, but merely postponed consideration of it. "In this context, we categorically reject any opposition-fabricated link between this step and threats from another country," the ministry emphasised, adding that the current government pursues an independent foreign policy under which it rejects any interference in Slovakia's internal affairs by another state or other bodies, "as was the case under previous governments". In the ministry's view, media narratives linking a routine conversation between rank-and-file diplomats to a sovereign decision by the Slovak government do not reflect reality. "Slovak diplomacy pursues an independent policy in all directions, and one of the fundamental tasks of Slovak diplomatic missions abroad is to ensure open dialogue with the relevant authorities of the host country. Communication between embassies and consulates and foreign ministries in the countries where they are accredited is therefore a basic routine duty of diplomats," the ministry added. Earlier in the day, SaS said that Russia had allegedly warned Slovak diplomats as early as July that signing the convention establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine would be regarded as a hostile act. The opposition party cited information it had obtained about possible direct Russian influence on government decision-making. It said the Slovak government's pro-Russian course could have security implications. According to SaS, Fico therefore halted the discussion of the document at the government session. The government had the document on its agenda last week, with the aim of approving the signing of the convention establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, but has suspended discussion of the item. mf