Ukraine's Foreign Ministry threatens sanctions over detention of bank collectors in Hungary
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine will take appropriate measures, including initiating sanctions, over the detention of Ukrainian citizens in Hungary. Meanwhile, Budapest said Oschadbank collectors have already been expelled from the country, according to Reuters and a statement by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
Hungary says it deported detained Oschadbank collectors
According to Reuters, Hungary's National Tax and Customs Administration said that seven detained Oschadbank collectors have already been deported from the country.
Budapest claims that control over the transportation of money and gold was allegedly "supervised by a former general of the Ukrainian Security Service, with a former major of the Ukrainian Air Force acting as deputy and assisted by individuals with military experience."
What Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says
"Political statements from Hungarian officials this morning show that the detention of seven Ukrainian citizens in Budapest was part of Hungary's blackmail and electoral campaign," Sybiha said.
He stressed that the list of demands by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Ukraine this morning was particularly telling.
According to the minister, this is what usually happens after people are taken hostage: demands.
"We will not tolerate this state banditism. Everyone who is responsible for taking and holding our citizens hostage will be held accountable. We reserve the right to take appropriate action, including initiating sanctions and other restrictive measures," he stressed.
Sybiha once again said that Ukraine demands that Hungary stop dragging it into its domestic politics and election campaign.
“We expect strong responses from our partners. We will also gather the foreign diplomatic corps at Ukraine Foreign Ministry to brief them on Hungary's unacceptable actions, refute absurd accusations, and urge support in demanding accountability," the minister added.
National Police opens criminal proceedings
The National Police of Ukraine said it has opened criminal proceedings over the abduction of citizens of Ukraine and the service vehicle of Joint Stock Company Oschadbank on the territory of Hungary.
Information about the incident was entered into the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations under Article 146 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal deprivation of liberty or kidnapping) and Article 147 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (hostage-taking).
Police officers of the Department of International Police Cooperation of the National Police of Ukraine contacted Europol officers, the Hungarian tax and customs service, and the police through official channels, and are coordinating actions aimed at establishing all circumstances of the incident. Investigative actions are ongoing.
Detention of Oschadbank collectors in Hungary
Today, it became known that two vehicles of the cash collection service of Ukrainian Oschadbank, accompanied by seven members of the collection team, were groundlessly detained in Hungary while carrying out regular transportation of foreign currency and gold between Raiffeisen Bank Austria and Oschadbank Ukraine.
Vehicles transporting 40 million dollars, 35 million euros, and 9 kilograms of gold were located with the participation of representatives of the Ukrainian embassy in Budapest and Ukraine Foreign Ministry.
At the same time fate of seven Oschadbank employees who accompanied cash collection vehicles remains unknown.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Ukraine will appeal to the European Union regarding the clear qualification of illegal actions of Hungary, hostage-taking, and robbery.
Meanwhile team of the National Bank of Ukraine is urgently heading to the capital of Hungary to clarify the situation with detained collectors.
