Prague, Sept 6 (CTK) – The Czech Republic is evaluating the information on the investigation into the poisoning of former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter by a nerve gas Britain is releasing, acting foreign minister Jan Hamacek told journalists today.
British Prime Minister Theresa May has stated the poisoning was perpetrated by members of the Russian military intelligence and it was “approved at a senior level of the Russian state.”
In May, President Milos Zeman said, referring to the Military Intelligence, that the Czech Republic had produced the Novichok, which was the poison supposed to kill Skripal.
The Kremlin used his statement to question the British argument that the Novichok originated from Russia.
“We are communicating with British authorities and our partners in NATO and the EU. The British authorities gradually release information, including the classified, and we are evaluating it,” Hamacek (the Social Democrats, CSSD) said.
The Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) leader, Pavel Belobradek, said the Czech Republic should ask Russia to adopt a stance on the British allegations.
The leader of the Mayors and Independents (STAN), Petr Gazdik, said the government should ask Russia to extradite the suspects.
“At present, Zeman and the government have a chance of showing that Czech-Russian relations are not just unilateral and that people around Zeman or his diplomats are not just [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s lackeys,” Gazdik wrote to CTK.
He said this was a despicable act which basically did not differ from terrorist attacks and its perpetrators should be duly punished.
The leader of TOP 09, Jiri Pospisil, said the announcement had only confirmed that Russia was standing behind the case and it only strengthened the suspicion.
The Czech Republic should ask Russia for an apology, but only after the suspicion is confirmed in court, said Pospisil, a former justice minister.
Britain said on Wednesday members of the Russian military intelligence GRU Alexandr Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov were behind the poisoning. A European warrant of arrest has been issued for them.
Moscow has denied any wrongdoing.