Depot blast not Russian act of state terrorism: Czech PM

Prague, April 20 (IANS) Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said Moscow's alleged involvement in the 2014 ammunition depot explosion was not an act of state terrorism, but it was an attack by Russian intelligence agents on goods belonging to a Bulgarian arms dealer.

"I would mainly like to say that it was not an act of state terrorism, as we have heard," Babis said on Monday, referring to calls from the parliamentary opposition to label the attack as such.

Still, the incident was unacceptable, the Prime Minister said, adding that he wanted to declassify the document about the incident, but the investigation is still going on, reports Xinhua news agency.

On April 17, the Czech government announced the expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats from Prague, for allegedly being "identified as members of the Russian secret services".

Babis had said that the 18 staffers were allegedly involvement in the 2014 explosions which claimed the lives of two people.

On April 18, the Russian Foreign Ministry has announced the expulsion of 20 staffers of the Czech Embassy in Moscow as a retaliatory move.