Slovakia declares Russian "diplomat" persona non grata
On 14 September, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia adopted a decision to remove an employee of the Russian embassy due to a "gross violation" of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Source: European Pravda with reference to the statement of Slovakia’s Foreign Ministry
Details: The Foreign Ministry of Slovakia states that the actions of the employee of the Russian embassy were "a gross violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which was thoroughly documented by competent bodies of the Slovak Republic."
Slovakia does not specify what the violation was but usually it is spying activity under diplomatic cover.
A Russian "diplomat" declared a persona non grata must leave the territory of Slovakia within 48 hours.
Slovakia’s Foreign Ministry has also called the Russian ambassador and "strongly urged" him to adhere to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, as well as to "refrain from further activity, which contradicts this Convention".
Background:
- Last time Slovakia removed employees of the Russian embassy was in March 2022, soon after the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Then the three "diplomats" were declared persona non grata on suspicion of spying.
- In response, Russia also removed three employees of the Slovak embassy.
- In total, the European countries have removed several hundreds of Russians, who were conducting spying activity under diplomatic cover, during the last six months.
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