Slovak MEP Ľuboš Blaha (Smer-SD) will teach at MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations) in Russia. The politician announced this in a video on the social network. “Liberal coffee shops in Slovakia flaunt academic freedom, but me and many other big liberals kicked me out of the Slovak Academy of Sciences because we have different opinions,” he said.
23.04.2026 14:24 , updated: 15:28
He added that in Russia, on the contrary, his academic freedom is respected and it is an honor for him that he received an offer to teach at MGIMO. He recalled that a number of prominent Slovak diplomats, as well as the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergey Lavrov, graduated from this school. “MGIMO is referred to as the Harvard of the non-Western world,” noted Blaha.
MEP he also specified that he will lead a seminar on international relations and the geopolitics of the West and Russia at the school. He emphasized that he will not receive any payment for this, so that “by chance someone does not think that I am taking money from Russia”. “Don’t worry, sunshine, I always pay for everything here until the last bit of borscht,” said a Slovak politician who traveled to Moscow a few days ago. He emphasized that it is an honor for him to be able to represent MGIMO at world academic events. Until now, he represented SAV, but now, according to him, he is looking for something better. He noted that he “faced persecution” in Slovakia because of his scientific books. “Finally, I can breathe freely. Yes, in Russia,” he added at the end.
MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations) is considered an elite and prestigious educational institution in Russia, focused on diplomacy, international relations, law and economics. The school is known for demanding studies and intensive teaching of many foreign languages. On the other hand, in Western media and contexts it is sometimes associated with the influence of the secret services (KGB/FSB) and seen as a “spies hatchery” or an instrument of soft power.
