Russian Culture Ministry welcomes Slovakia's decision to resume cooperation, ready for dialogue

MOSCOW. Jan 22 (Interfax) - The Russian Culture Ministry is ready for dialogue with Slovakia following the country's decision to resume cooperation in culture, Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova said.

"We are glad to continue dialogue, and we are absolutely open to communication. This situation again proves that there can be no cancelling of culture. Any bans, any rhetoric associated with cancelling, banning, not letting, not inviting, always does harm, it never does any good. Therefore, we have always been ready to talk and we continue doing that," Lyubimova told reporters on Monday.

The ministry will invite representatives of Slovakia to forums and festivals, she said.

Earlier, Slovak Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova cancelled the order to halt from February 24, 2022 the country's cooperation in culture with Russia and Belarus.