Slovak PM apologizes for joking he swapped part of Ukraine for Sputnik vaccine

EPA-EFE/Lukasz Gagulski

Slovakia’s prime minister has apologised after joking in a radio interview that he offered to hand over a Ukrainian region to Russia in exchange for its COVID-19 vaccine, Euronews reported.

Slovakia this week became the second European Union member state after Hungary to receive doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, even though it has not yet been approved for use in the EU.

During an interview with a local radio station, Slovakian PM Igor Matovic was asked what he had promised Moscow for delivery of Russia’s vaccines.

“Ukrainian Zakarapattia,” he replied, the Ukrainian name of the western Transcarpathia region that borders Slovakia.

The quip caused something of a diplomatic row, with Ukraine’s foreign ministry asking Slovakia’s top diplomat in Kyiv to condemn the comments, which it described in a statement as “categorically unacceptable.” Territorial integrity is a particularly sensitive issue in Ukraine, since Russia annexed of Crimea in 2014 and provided support for separatist rebels. More than 14,000 people have been killed in a conflict that’s destroyed the country’s industrial heartland.

A chastened Matovic apologised for his remarks yesterday, tweeting in Ukrainian; “Slovakia is your friend”.

“Slovakia’s position on Ukraine’s territorial integrity has always been very clear,” he said. “Respect for international law is a must. Apologies to all Ukrainians for my inappropriate reaction which could undermine their just efforts.”

Mar 5, 2021

DATA SNAPSHOT