Slovak Prime Minister Says Line Drawn 'Even With Friends' As Russian Diplomats Expelled

Slovak Prime Minister Says Line Drawn 'Even With Friends' As Russian Diplomats Expelled

Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic has said on Tuesday that lines have to be drawn "even with friends" after the announcement that three Russian diplomats would be expelled from the European country

PRAGUE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th August, 2020) Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic has said on Tuesday that lines have to be drawn "even with friends" after the announcement that three Russian diplomats would be expelled from the European country.

"There are times when you have to draw a line, even with your friends. Yes, the Russians are our Slavic brothers, and Russia is our trading partner. However, this does not change the fact that Slovakia is a sovereign state, and not a banana republic, where you can laugh in the face of diplomatic rules," the prime minister wrote in a post on Facebook.

The Slovak Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that three Russian diplomats would be expelled from the country. According to Bratislava, their actions went against the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Following the announcement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Bratislava may face a reciprocal response.