Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 10: India on Monday condemned the defacement of its Embassy premises in Slovenia by what it described as anti-India elements and called for the perpetrators to be held accountable.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said diplomatic premises are protected under the Vienna Convention and must be safeguarded.
“Under the Vienna Convention, diplomatic premises are inviolable and must be protected. We have taken up the matter strongly with Slovenian authorities, both in New Delhi and in Ljubljana, so that the perpetrators behind such reprehensible acts are held accountable,” the MEA said.
The ministry also urged Slovenian law enforcement authorities to take note of the “hateful propaganda and disinformation” being spread by such groups.
The incident comes amid continued diplomatic engagement between India and Slovenia.
Last month, India's Ambassador to Slovenia Amit Narang met Slovenia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tone Kajzer and discussed measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
“Productive and wide-ranging discussions focused on specific steps to elevate the warm and friendly ties between India and Slovenia into a mutually beneficial partnership for the future,” the Embassy of India in Ljubljana said in a post on X.
On June 24, MEA Secretary (West) Ambassador Sibi George represented India at Slovenia's National Day celebrations at the country's Embassy in New Delhi.
The MEA said George reaffirmed India's commitment to the longstanding partnership with Slovenia and to expanding cooperation in new areas of mutual interest. He also appreciated Slovenia's support to India in the fight against cross-border terrorism.
Earlier, on May 28, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Janez Jansa on his election as Slovenia's Prime Minister and expressed India's readiness to work closely with his government to further strengthen bilateral ties.
“Heartiest congratulations to Mr. Janez Jansa on his election as the Prime Minister of Slovenia. I look forward to working closely with him to further strengthen our bilateral ties for the shared prosperity and mutual benefit of our people,” Modi had posted on X.