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Slovak President Andrej Kiska says that a newly established local base for a Russian motorcycle club known for its allegiance to the Kremlin presents a risk to the security of the EU and NATO.
Group members, called the Night Wolves, Russian troops annexed the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine in 2014 and are not just "harmless motorcycle enthusiasts," said Kiska on July 31, calling on the Slovak government to take steps to get rid of the Dolna Krupa complex. The Night Wolves club and their leader, Aleksandr Zaldostanov, who calls himself "the surgeon", are known to have promoted Russian nationalism and allegiance to President Vladimir Putin, and were subjected to sanctions from the West's share on their support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
"Beside the special forces of the Russian army, the wolves of the night took part in military operations in Crimea … They are not harmless motorcycle lovers. tool of a regime that took part in the usurpation of a territory of a neighboring country [of Slovakia] to the annexation of parts of Ukraine in violation of international law, "said Kiska in a statement
who spoke after meeting with Slovak intelligence chiefs, said that the existence of Dolna Krupa's base where Night Wolves operate with a group local pro-Russian paramilitary contradicts the official foreign policy of Slovakia
. The so-called European headquarters of the Night Wolves in Slovakia is a travesty of the official position of the Slovak Republic on the annexation of Crimea and Russian policies, "said Kiska, calling on the government to take preventive measures against the "questionable groups in our country. "
In reaction to Kiska's statement, the government press office issued a statement saying that no action will be taken without an investigation by the Attorney General's Office, as well as the police.
" It is not up to Andrej Kiska to decide whether the wolves of the night represent a risk to the security of Slovakia, "the statement said," they monitor the group's activities, but they have not yet. " now nothing is illegal.
Slovakia, which joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004, was confronted in March with the biggest demonstrations since the fall of communism Jan Kuciak was killed with his fiancée after publishing several articles alleging links between the Italian mafia and the left-wing party Smer Social Democracy of Prime Minister Robert Fico
The anti-corruption protests provoked the resignation of Fico, replaced by his Deputy, R obert Pellegrini
With reportage by AP
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