Slovakia Criticizes "Crimean Gold" Exhibition at Bratislava's Russian Center

Slovakia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has publicly condemned the exhibition "Crimean Gold: 'Civilized' Europe Plunders Russian Treasures," currently on display at the Russian Center of Science and Culture in Bratislava. The ministry announced its position on Facebook on Saturday.

"As one of five EU countries that still have not recognized Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence, Slovakia likewise does not recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea or other Ukrainian territories," the Slovak Foreign Ministry stated. The ministry called it unacceptable to publicly promote propaganda that justifies the forcible seizure of another state's territory, describing this as a violation of the UN Charter and the 1975 Helsinki Final Act.

Ministry Speaks Out Against Propaganda in Cultural Institutions

According to Slovak diplomats, cultural institutions should foster mutual understanding and cooperation between nations rather than promote narratives that Slovakia considers violations of international law. The ministry stressed that it consistently advocates compliance with international norms without double standards and supports Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

Notably, Slovakia's foreign minister represents Prime Minister Robert Fico's Smer party. Fico maintains warm relations with the Kremlin and personally with Vladimir Putin, having visited Moscow several times—drawing criticism from other European leaders. Slovakia has repeatedly stalled the adoption of anti-Russian sanctions at the EU level, and a personal dispute recently flared up between Fico and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over gas supplies.

The Dispute Over the Crimean Collection

The exhibition was organized by the Russian Military Historical Society. According to the Russian embassy, it addresses "one of the most flagrant cases of the politicization of cultural heritage protection"—referring to the saga of more than 580 unique artifacts (roughly 2,000 items in total) unearthed during excavations in Crimea and temporarily displayed at the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam.

The artifacts include weapons, jewelry, ritual objects, and tools from various cultures. According to the Russian diplomatic mission, after Crimea's annexation by Russia, the Dutch side refused to return the collection to four Crimean museums, and in 2023 the Netherlands' Supreme Court ruled that it should be handed over to Ukraine instead. The Russian embassy called this "a dangerous precedent of politicizing cultural heritage" and claimed the artifacts are being unlawfully held by the "Kyiv regime" together with its "European patrons."

Dialogue With Moscow Continues

Yet on the very same day that Slovakia's Foreign Ministry criticized the exhibition, the country's top diplomat, Juraj Blanár, called for resuming dialogue with Moscow, according to Russia's state news agency TASS. He said Bratislava should restore communication channels with Russia and, in particular, revive the intergovernmental commission on economic, scientific, and technical cooperation.

"We have a number of specific issues we want to find solutions for—for example, gas supplies, Gazprom, and the long-term contract our state company SPP (Slovenský plynárenský priemysel) has with it," Blanár was quoted by TASS as saying.

Read also: 6 cemeteries in Prague where history and art outweigh mourning: a guide to necropolis-museums

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz