Slovenia orders a Russian diplomat to leave within seven days

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — A Russian diplomat has been declared persona non grata in Slovenia and ordered to leave the European Union country within seven days, its Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Slovenia is expelling the Russian diplomat over “activities incompatible with the diplomatic status,” the ministry said in a statement. It provided no further details.

Slovenia and Russia already have reduced the number of staff working at their embassies in Ljubljana and Moscow. A number of other EU countries have expelled Russian diplomats since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Last year, authorities in Slovenia apprehended two Russian spies who used a real estate and antiques agency as a cover for their activities in the Alpine nation.