The Czech Republic may demand from Russia an apology or financial compensation for the destruction caused by the explosions in Vrbetica. This was announced on April 22 by the head of the Czech Foreign Ministry, Jakub Kulganek.
Kulganek noted that when one state harms another, there may be different options for compensation for losses.
“It can be either the restoration of the case to its original state, or financial compensation, or satisfaction in the form of, for example, a confession or an apology. We are discussing options, ”Lidovky.cz quotes Kulganek as saying.
Earlier that day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed that the Czech Republic’s tone towards Moscow is unacceptable.
On April 20, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that statements about Russia’s involvement in the explosion are groundless and destructive to bilateral relations. According to him, on the whole, a “line on unfriendly influence” is being pursued against the Russian Federation, pressure and attempts to contain it are being exerted.
Relations between Russia and the Czech Republic have become strained after the Prime Minister of the country, Andrei Babis, announced on April 17 that the Russian special services were suspected of being involved in an explosion at an ammunition depot in Vrbetica in 2014. On the same day, the Czech Republic decided to expel 18 Russian diplomats.
On April 19, Czech Prime Minister Andrei Babis clarified that the incident in Vrbetica was aimed at the goods of a Bulgarian businessman. Prague cannot publish the full report, but it can argue that this was not an attack by Russia on the Czech Republic.
Moscow, in response, declared 20 employees of the Czech embassy in the Russian Federation persona non grata. The accusations in Russia were categorically denied, and the fact that Prague does not publish a report on the explosion, Zakharova called evidence of a lie. In the Czech Republic, the reaction of the Russian side was called stronger than expected.