“A Handshake With a Representative of an International Criminal” — Latushka Disappointed by Slovak President’s Decision to Receive Belarusian Ambassador

Reform.news Editorial Team · 22 October 2026, 16:43

https://reform.news/en/a-handshake-with-a-representative-of-an-international-criminal-latushka-disappointed-by-slovak-president-s-decision-to-receive-belarusian-ambassador/

Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet (UTC) Pavel Latushka expressed disappointment over Slovak President Peter Pellegrini’s decision to accept the credentials of the Belarusian ambassador.

“A handshake with a representative of an international criminal is unacceptable to me as a Belarusian,” Latushka said.

The UTC deputy head believes that maintaining contacts with the Lukashenka regime while repression continues in Belarus runs counter to democratic values.

“While unprecedented, wide-scale political repression continues in Belarus, resuming contacts with the regime is a contrary of the democratic values the Belarusian people are fighting for & on which the European Union is built.
Slovakia, like other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, knows what it means to fight for freedom against totalitarianism & how important allies are in this just struggle, and I hope it will not forget the lessons of its very recent history,” Latushka wrote on X.

It should be recalled that on October 21, Belarusian Ambassador to Slovakia Ihar Fisenka presented his credentials to Slovak President Peter Pellegrini. The Slovak president welcomed the decision to resume the operation of Belarus’ embassy in Bratislava and expressed support for developing bilateral relations.