Prague to target Russian diplomatic staff in tit-for-tat move

The Czech Republic will introduce retaliatory measures against Russian diplomatic and technical personnel in response to what Prague describes as the tightening of working conditions for its diplomatic mission in Moscow, Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said.

The announcement came after the Czech Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Anna Ponomareva on September 3 over recent incidents in European Union countries, including an incident at Leipzig Airport in Germany.

Macinka rejected Ponomareva’s explanation that the allegations against Moscow were part of a provocation serving other interests.

“Based on convincing information provided both by the German side and as a result of investigations conducted by two Czech intelligence services, the minister rejected the ambassador’s explanations, in which she described these incidents as provocations serving other interests,” the Czech Foreign Ministry said.

Macinka told the Russian ambassador that Prague would respond to the recent restrictions imposed on the Czech diplomatic mission in Moscow with measures targeting Russian diplomatic and technical personnel accredited in the Czech Republic.

According to the minister, the measures are intended to establish equal working conditions for the two sides.

By Vafa Guliyeva