Foreign Ministry not decided on Russian Diplomats

The Foreign Ministry has not yet decided whether or not it will expel Russian diplomats in view of the new information released by British authorities, which identified the attackers in the Skripal poisoning case, Finance Minister Peter Kažimír (Smer-SD) responded on behalf of Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák (a Smer-SD nominee) to a question raised by MP Gábor Grendel (OLaNO) during Question Time in the Parliament on Thursday. According to Lajčák, the findings in question are serious and the ministry is analysing them. Slovakia is also consulting its approach with the United Kingdom. "The primary goal is to send an unequivocal message that such steps are unacceptable and culprits must be held to justice. Diplomacy offers a broad range of tools and we're considering which one will be the most efficient," read Kažimír. Following the March poisonings, 19 EU countries opted to expel Russian diplomats. Slovakia has not embraced such a course of action, although it recalled its ambassador Peter Priputen from Moscow for consultations. Priputen returned to Moscow in late April, at the time when the EU and seven of its member states returned their ambassadors to Russia.