Riots in the Parliament in Slovakia due to Military Agreement with the US
Turbulent scenes took place yesterday at a special session of the Slovak parliament, dedicated to a controversial military agreement with the United States, DPA reported.
At the beginning of the debate, far-right MPs blocked the speaker's rostrum with a Slovak flag to prevent Conservative Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad from speaking.
When two MPs from the co-ruling Liberals stood with a Ukrainian flag in front of the politicians blocking the rostrum, the latter threw water at them.
In the ensuing turmoil, other far-right MPs snatched the Ukrainian flag from the Liberals and removed the mask from the face of one of them.
The meeting, which lasted until the evening, had to be adjourned several times due to shouts and other expressions of discontent.
Today, deputies must vote on the treaty. The agreement allows the United States to increase its military presence in the country, which borders Ukraine, in particular by expanding two military airports.
Defense Minister Nad already signed last week in Washington, citing a guarantee of Slovakia's security.
However, both Social Democratic opposition parties and right-wing extremists reject it. The deal must be approved by the legislature for it to take effect.
In January, the Prosecutor General's Office also spoke out against the treaty, saying it was formulated unilaterally in favor of the United States and unconstitutionally limited Slovakia's state sovereignty.
/BTA