PS: Korcok Criticises that Slovak Diplomacy Hasn't Condemned Election in Belarus

Bratislava, January 29 (TASR) - The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party has criticised the attitude of the government and the Foreign Ministry towards the presidential election in Belarus, describing it as unfree and undemocratic, TASR has learnt at a press conference of PS presidium member Ivan Korcok on Wednesday. Korcok accused Slovak diplomacy of failing to condemn the election and of remaining silent. "I've been waiting for three days to see if Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) would comment on what happened in Belarus over the weekend. The result is not surprising. We've already got used to the minister, and with him Slovak diplomacy, remaining silent when it comes to serious issues of international events. Is this sovereign policy? We kick our allies, but we're afraid to condemn an election that was clearly rigged," he noted. Korcok also criticised Slovakia for having a new ambassador in Belarus, pointing out that since the violent suppression of civil protests in 2020, no EU member state has sent an ambassador to the country, with the exception of Hungary. "With this step, we are once again distancing ourselves from our EU partners. It is another piece in the puzzle of how the government is gradually pulling us away from Europe through specific actions," he added. Alexandr Lukashenko won the presidential election in Belarus for the seventh time. Western countries accuse him of autocracy and violating basic democratic principles. According to the Belarusian human rights organisation Viasna, there are more than 1,250 political prisoners in the country. am/mcs