Parliament Speaker: We’re bound to Russia

Anyone who claims that it's in Slovakia's interests not to deepen relations with Russia is wrong, said Slovak Parliamentary Chairman Andrej Danko (Slovak National Party/SNS) after meeting Russia's State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin in Seoul, South Korea on Monday. According to Danko, quoted by the TASR press agency, there's also a need to overcome the current period that involves not particularly cordial EU relations with Russia, as the two entities are predestined for cooperation. "We're bound to Russia by raw materials. It's very important to overcome this period and set new rules for the future, including relations with the EU. I believe that Slovakia will contribute towards getting over these problems," Danko told journalists after the bilateral meeting with Volodin, which he described as "historic" because they took place after a relatively long gap. On Tuesday, Danko is due to appear in a panel discussion featuring parliamentary chairs of Eurasian countries.