Slovak Student Wearing Ukrainian Symbols Refuses to Shake President Pellegrini’s Hand

Simon Omanik, a Slovak student and math Olympiad winner, refused to shake hands with President Peter Pellegrini during an award ceremony at the presidential palace, reported Slovak media Denník N on January 13.

Omanik, who was wearing Ukrainian symbols, received a bronze medal at the Central European Mathematical Olympiad, presented to him by Education Minister Tomas Drucker.

He accepted the award at the presidential palace but declined to shake hands with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, an act that has been widely circulated on social media.

The student explained that he believes Pellegrini secured his presidential victory through lies and by exploiting fear and the lowest human instincts.

“Alongside the usual populist promises of cheap food and gas that populists repeat before every election, he also accused his opponent of planning to send us to war in Ukraine. He would never have sent us there, and even if he had, there would have been no rational justification for it. This was a lie and a manipulation of the basest human emotions of fear and, perhaps, in some parts of Slovak society, antipathy toward Ukraine,” he explained.

Earlier, it was reported that the Slovak opposition plans to introduce a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Robert Fico. The opposition bloc claims that the Prime Minister's foreign trips and public statements are destabilizing Slovakia's foreign policy course.