The Tanaiste Simon Coveney has said the Russian Government’s decision to expel an Irish diplomat from their country is ‘regrettable’.
Mr Coveney who was speaking on Friday, made the comment after the Russian Government expelled a number of foreign diplomats from their territory in an act of retaliation, after a number of countries including Ireland expelled Russian diplomats earlier this week.
In a move that was widely expected, the Tanaiste and a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said that there was no justification for the diplomat’s dismissal as they did not engage any activities that would be incompatible with their status.
The latest act by the Russian Government comes less than a few days after the Irish Government decided to expel The Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov in a response to the recent poisoning of a former Russian spy in Salisbury England.
Earlier this week the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that Mr Filatov’s expulsion came after a review was carried out by Irish security services.
The Taoiseach also stated that the expulsion was also act of solidarity with the British Government.