On Wednesday, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák condemned a statement that the Russian Embassy had posted on a social network concerning Deputy Defence Minister Robert Ondrejcsák. "As long as such an official is in the leadership of the military ministry, the Slovak public can't actually feel safe", stated the embassy. According to Lajčák, by making this statement the embassy has crossed the boundary of decent behaviour.
The Russian embassy thus reacted to an article which Ondrejcsák wrote for the SME daily entitled 'Five years since Crimea: War is not taboo in Europe'. Among other things, Ondrejcsák wrote that "firstly, in the Russian strategic documents, the West, NATO and the EU are enemies. Secondly, we are enemies in political statements. Thirdly, in the military exercises of Russian forces we are considered to be the main enemies and they are practicing offensive operations against us. That is reality."
The Russian embassy contradicted this statement. Lajčák added that it had also sent a diplomatic note to the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry concerning statements made by Ondrejcsák (Most-Hid). In the note, the embassy asked whether critical opinions of Russia included in an article by Ondrejcsák represented Slovakia's official stance. "We're preparing an answer to this note in which we'll say that they do not," said Lajčák, On the other hand, he added that the embassy has absolutely no right to evaluate who occupies what post in our country. "This will also form part of our answer," stressed Lajčák.
Justice Minister Gábor Gál also supported Ondrejcsák. "In terms of defence policy, Mr. Ondrejcsák is one of Slovakia's elite experts, hence we insist on his tenure in the post. If someone doesn't like that, it's not our problem," claimed Gál.
