Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Kubis said on Thursday that does not think that it is either appropriate or necessary to accept an invitation for a reception at the Cuban Embassy. However this gesture corresponds with opinions of Prime Minister Robert Fico who provoked loud protests of the opposition and human rights activists by attending a reception on Wednesday hosted by the Cuban Embassy in Bratislava to mark the 49th anniversary of Fidel Castro's revolution. Mr. Kubis stated at a new conference that problems with observance of human rights and basic freedoms still exist in Cuba. He mentioned cases when Cuban authorities detained Slovak citizens and prevented them from contacting the Slovak Embassy in Havana. He also mentioned last week's incident when a Slovak human rights activist was expelled from Cuba. Problematic with the matter was, said the minister, that she was granted a Cuban visa but she was expelled with the argument that she was on a list of unwanted persons.
"These questions pose a problem for us," said Mr. Kubis. "This is why you did not see [at the reception] the foreign minister as a representative of foreign policy of the Slovak Republic. You saw the chairman of the party SMER-SD, a man who does not hide his leftist opinions, with such opinions he entered elections and with these opinions he earned high support for himself and his party and they continue gaining support," said the minister.
Mr. Kubis, however, says that it is not necessary to overestimate the participation of the prime minister, his spokeswoman, president's spokesman, the culture minister and parliamentary deputies of the ruling coalition. Slovakia does not have such strict protocol as some countries do. If we had such rules, far-reaching consequences could be drawn for the extent and level of representation at the reception, said Mr. Kubis. He added that Slovak politicians often attend receptions of countries to which they have a certain relationship.
Mr. Fico attended the same reception also a year ago. This time he said that he will only drink one mojito, shake hands with the ambassador and leave. However he ultimately spent there more than an hour, the press reported today. He also had a private conversation with the ambassador. SITA released his photo as he is sitting at a table with the Cuban Ambassador, drinking mojito and smoking a Cuban cigar.
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