Russia expels Hungarian diplomats in tit-for-tat move
Russian Foreign Ministry (photo: Getty Images)
Russia has announced the expulsion of staff from Hungary's embassy and consulates general in response to a similar move by Budapest, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Hungarian Foreign Ministry.
Hungary's chargé d’affaires, Gábor Gergics, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. He was presented with a protest over the Hungarian authorities' decision to expel ten Russian diplomats from Budapest.
Hungarian diplomats from the embassy in Moscow, as well as the consulates general in St. Petersburg and Kazan, must leave Russia within two weeks.
The Russian side did not specify the exact number of employees subject to expulsion.
Budapest's response
The Hungarian Foreign Ministry took note of Moscow's decision and said the country would maintain its diplomatic presence in Russia, while its missions would continue to operate as usual.
"We have no interest in escalating diplomatic tensions, but stand by our decision taken on national security grounds," the Hungarian ministry stressed.
What preceded this
On September 8, Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán announced the expulsion of 10 employees of the Russian embassy.
According to the Hungarian side, the Russian diplomats had engaged in activities incompatible with their status under the Vienna Convention.
