Visit of Slovak MPs to Kiev Postponed Due to Security Concerns

Bratislava, January 13 (TASR) - A group of Slovak legislators, slated to visit Ukraine, postponed their visit due to security reasons, at the recommendation of the Ukrainian side, TASR learnt from PR manager Marek Bezak, who represents the lawmakers' group. "On this trip to Kiev, we wanted to present clearly our interest in having Ukraine become a safe, secure and stable neighbour. The scrapping of our visit due to security reasons is only further evidence that the situation of our neighbours is far from an ideal state," claimed House Committee for European Affairs chair Jan Ferencak (Voice-SD). Bezak explained that a member of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada had sent a letter to the lawmakers to warn them that the security situation in the country has taken a turn for the worse in recent days and that Ukraine wouldn't be able to guarantee a safe visit to the Slovak lawmakers. The aim of the visit was to send a signal, during Slovakia's parallel visit to Moscow, that the lawmakers still care for preserving Slovakia's unequivocal pro-Western orientation. Originally supposed to travel to Kiev on Tuesday (January 14) were Ferencak and Voice-SD lawmakers Samuel Migal, Radomir Salitros, along with opposition MP Beata Jurik (PS). mf/mcs