The claim: a video shows Slovak lawmakers pouring water on the Ukrainian flag
Slovakia is a NATO member whose government has condemned the invasion of Russia from Ukraine But some social media users are sharing a clip of Slovak lawmakers pouring water on a Ukrainian flag to suggest otherwise.
“Slovakia says no to NATO”, reads the caption of a photo Facebook video from March 12.
The images, which generated more than 10,000 views in several weeks, show politicians in a meeting holding a Slovakian flag while pouring water on a Ukrainian flag. The same video circulated with similar subtitles On Facebook and Twitter.
“Slowly but surely, one by one, the country is turning to Russia,” one Twitter user wrote in a post. March 9 tweet. “Slovakia said No to NATO! You won’t see this in the media the West pays!”
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The video is authentic and shows opposition legislators in Slovakia. However, he was captured weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine, as independent fact-checking organizations have reported. The Slovak government has supported Ukraine.
USA TODAY has contacted Facebook users who shared the post for comment.
The video is before the Russian invasion
The incident shown in the video took place on February 8 during a meeting in which members of the Slovak Parliament voted on a defense cooperation agreement with the United States, according to the slovakian spectator.
At that moment, Peter Krupa and Andrej Medvecky, members of the far-right Our Slovakia People’s Party, which opposed the treaty, raised a Slovakian flag and poured water on a Ukrainian flag that was introduced by coalition lawmakers. TASR, a Slovak media outlet, shared images of the debate to YouTube.
The treaty, passed 79-60, allows the US military to use Slovak air bases for 10 years. In return, Slovakia receives $100 million in US funds to modernize military infrastructure, Associated Press reported.
Social media posts suggest that Slovakia is against Ukraine. But Slovakia’s Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad apologized for the incident and the government itself has expressed support for Ukraine throughout the conflict.
“As a citizen of the Slovak Republic, I am ashamed of this unforgivable gesture and, as a representative of the Slovak government, my colleagues and I oppose such behavior,” Nad wrote in a statement. Facebook post from February 8, according to a Facebook translation. “I sincerely apologize to Ukraine for the opposition’s gesture, which has no time and no place in our society!”
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Slovakia assistance approved to Ukraine in February and has offered to deploy air defenses. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees have fled to Slovakiaand his government has provided military aid packages.
Our Rating: Missing Context
Based on our research, we rate as LACK OF CONTEXT the claim that a video shows Slovak lawmakers pouring water on the Ukrainian flag, because without additional details it may be misleading. The incident took place before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The video shows opposition lawmakers during a debate on a military defense treaty. Slovakia is a member of NATO and has offered support to Ukraine.
Our data verification sources:
- Associated Press, March 28, Video Of Slovak Politicians Pouring Water On Distorted Ukrainian Flag
- Reuters, March 25, Fact Check-Video of Slovak Opposition Lawmakers Pouring Water on Ukrainian Flag Predates Russian Invasion
- The Slovak Spectator, February 9, MPs pour water on Ukrainian flag, Ukraine demands apology
- Associated Press, February 8, Slovaks protest defense treaty with US as lawmakers debate
- YouTube, February 8 NRSR: Vlajky, oblievanie vodou a píšťalky, aktuálne dianie v parlamente
- Associated Press, Slovak lawmakers approve military defense treaty with the US
- Jaroslav Nad, February 8, facebook post
- NATO, August 13, 2020, NATO member countries
- Politician, February 27, Slovakia pushes for a “special path” for Ukraine to join the EU
- Washington Post, March 17, Slovakia will send Ukraine S-300 air defenses ‘immediately’ if NATO replenishes its weapons
- Reuters, March 3 Slovakia increases military aid to Ukraine
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Reference-www.usatoday.com