In response to provocation from the Czech part, Russia announced the expulsion of Embassy staff.
“on 15 June, the Russian foreign Ministry had summoned the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in the Russian Federation Vítězslav Pivonka, who reported on the response of the Russian side in connection with the unfriendly actions of Prague and the announcement on 5 June of this year two employees of the Russian Embassy in the Czech Republic persona non grata on the basis of absurd and unsubstantiated charges. Guided by the principle of reciprocity, and article 9 of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations of 1961, declared persona non grata two employees of the Czech Embassy in Moscow. They prescribed along with the family members to leave the territory of the Russian Federation until the end of the day on June 17 this year,” commented the Russian foreign Ministry reports call to the head of the Czech diplomatic mission in the Russian foreign Ministry, adding that Prague “line to the aggravation of relations with Russia now elevated to the rank of state policy.”
the last time Piwonka was summoned on 1 June, where he expressed a demarche in connection with the “tightening the Prague consultations on issues of bilateral relations and its destructive solutions against degradation of the atmosphere in bilateral Affairs”. In response four days later, Czech authorities declared persona non grata two Russian diplomats.
At the Russian Embassy in the Czech Republic the situation around the expulsion of their employees called “fabricated provocation” and explained to her “lack of Prague desire to normalize degraded in recent years” bilateral relations. On leaving the country, diplomats had 48 hours. As told “Izvestia” in the Russian Embassy in the Czech Republic, the staff left Prague on 7 June and on the same day “late in the evening returned to Moscow”. It happened in spite of the limitations in terms of COVID air service.
to leave Moscow, the two Czech employees have until the end of the day on June 17. Judging by the statements of Prague, with their away problems will not be.
— As a reaction to the expulsion of two employees of the Russian Embassy in Prague, agreement was reached regarding the departure of our colleagues, — has told “news” the representative the Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Zuzana Stihova, refusing to clarify the details of the departure of Czech diplomats from Russia. — The decision to replace [retired employees] the Czech foreign Ministry has not yet taken.
in the Spring of this year the relations between Russia and the Czech Republic, which already was quite uneven, deteriorated sharply. The reason for this was the decision of the authorities in Prague to dismantle the monument to Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev. The Czech authorities claim that it is the property of the Prague district Prague 6, as the son of the sculptor zdeněk Cribis lost the copyright to the monument district management of the city. They include with��BOJ possibility of carrying out various works on this memorial.
According to the official representative of the Russian foreign Ministry, is the responsibility of the governments of the two countries, so links to the Czech leadership on decisions by local authorities is untenable.
By the way, the leadership of the country reacted without enthusiasm to the decision of the city authorities. So, the President of Czech Republic Milos Zeman called the demolition of the monument to the folly of minor politicians, Recalling that Konev liberated from the Nazis of the Czech capital, but also the concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau (Auschwitz).
In Moscow, this step is not only criticized. The investigative Committee opened a criminal case under part 3 of article 354.1 criminal code (“the Desecration of symbols of Russia’s military glory, committed publicly”) against the initiators of the demolition. The Russian defense Minister Sergei Shoigu asked his colleague, the Minister of defence of the Czech Republic with a request to give Russia a monument to the General-liberator, but was refused. In Prague said that the monument is the property of the city. However, it is possible that this is not the ultimate solution.
on 15 June on the basis of consultations in the Russian foreign Ministry the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in the Russian Federation Vítězslav Pivonka said that in a few weeks Moscow and Prague will announce his decision on the situation with the dismantling of the monument to Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev. “We discussed the beginning of consultations between the Czech side and the Russian side. It will apply to all bilateral issues: political, legal and technical”, — the diplomat said, adding, the return of the monument to Konev in Russia will be the main issue in these negotiations, which will begin in a few weeks.
the Situation around the monument to Soviet Marshal provoked another scandal between Moscow and Prague — spyware.
the Man was met by a car from the Russian Embassy in the Czech Republic and taken to the territory of the diplomatic mission.
Later, local media published the name of the Russians — they allegedly were Andrew Konchakov. To the politicians involved in the demolition of the monument and assigning front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation Boris Nemtsov, the mayor of Prague to Zdenek Greebo and the head of the district, which was a monument to Ondřej Kolaria, just in case put round the clock security.
However, press-conference June 5, Prime Minister Czech Republic Andrew Babish has not led evidence that on the Czech politicians really prepared attempt, hinting only that the whole story was probably a result of the strife in the Russian Embassy in the Czech Republic. Babish added that one of the employees of the Russian diplomatic mission intentionally sent to the Czech security service false information about the planned attack on local politicians.
About Andrew Konchak��ve wrote the Czech newspaper Hospodarske Noviny. It was called the head of the Russian centre of science and culture (RCSC), and simultaneously acting head of mission of Rossotrudnichestvo in the Czech Republic, wrote that the Russian diplomatic passport and the rank of Secretary of the Russian Embassy. In addition, mentioned another employee RCSC — Igor Fisherman, who was considered subordinate Konchakova. Rybakov Hospodarske Noviny calls “head of Department”, noting that he “is responsible for education and science”.
Czech newspaper Denik N wrote about the uneasy relationship between colleagues, noting that “between them there was a dislike which developed into hostility,” and that Fishermen “spread criticism Konchakova, claiming that not enough competence, and he illegally occupies the post of head of the center”. In addition, the edition with reference to four sources claims that the slave reported by Czech intelligence of the arrival of the diplomat and the alleged poison in his suitcase. Fishermen himself categorically denies it, saying that he always expresses in the face, and not writing anonymously.
In Rossotrudnichestvo called the incident a “fabricated a provocation and an unfriendly step, initially based on unsubstantiated charges in the media.” The Russian foreign Ministry then added that the Czech authorities “without any reason caused serious damage to Russian, Czech relations”. “The actions of the Prague will not only get an adequate response, but will be taken into account when forming the Russian lines against the Czech Republic. For such provocations will have to respond,” he commented then in the foreign Ministry, the expulsion from Prague two Russian diplomats.
In November 2018, the Czech authorities expressed dissatisfaction with the size of the diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation, saying that, in the opinion of the local population, “the Russian Embassy is too large”. The local Ministry of foreign Affairs began to check the number of employees of the Russian Embassy and the number of vehicles registered with the Embassy. According to the Minister of foreign Affairs Czech Republic Tomasz Peter, it “must match the size of a country like the Czech Republic”.
He noted that they were friendly from the Soviet times. “We were very close countries with Czechoslovakia. But it is obvious that those who are directing the geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe, seeking to drive a wedge between Russia and all our neighbors in the region”, — said the Deputy. He added that until recently, the Czech Republic maintained relative neutrality in relation to Russia.
Director General, Russian international Affairs Council Andrey Kortunov noted that the Czech ruling elite has no unified position on how to build relations with Russia��: the perspective of the President of the country Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Andrew Babish diverge. “There are those who are interested in cooperation with Moscow, but there are those who criticize Russia. Aggravated the situation the incident with the monument to Marshal Konev, which attracted much attention and is used in some sense to inflame anti-Russian sentiments”, — the expert told “Izvestia”.
According to the analyst, most likely, the current escalation between Moscow and Prague will not last long. “It is likely the political conjuncture. But nevertheless it reflects the General atmosphere of the information war being waged [against Russia] and in which a significant portion of the Czech leadership, unfortunately, is also involved,” added Fyodor Lukyanov.
