Oschadbank Claims There Are No Grounds for Detaining Cash Transporters in Hungary
Oschadbank has reported that it has not received any official notifications from Hungarian authorities either before or after the detention of its employees on Hungarian territory. According to the bank, representatives of the consular service have still not gained access to the detained individuals.
This is reported by AgroReview
Oschadbank Demands Explanations Regarding the Actions of Hungarian Authorities
The bank emphasizes that the cash transport vehicles were performing a regular route that is conducted weekly under the appropriate international transport license. Since the onset of the full-scale war, all transportation of foreign currency and banking metals has been carried out exclusively by land. The bank’s press service states that there are no legal grounds for the detention of the cash transport vehicles and accompanying personnel.
The bank sees no possible legal grounds for the detention of cash transport vehicles and accompanying personnel that were conducting a traditional route. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the transportation of foreign currency and banking metals has been carried out exclusively by land,” the financial institution’s press service stated.
The financial institution notes that all valuables in the detained vehicles belong to the state-owned Oschadbank. This includes cash entrusted to the bank by citizens and businesses of Ukraine, which were being transported from Austria for further use in circulation and to replenish the cash market in Ukraine. The total amount of funds, the fate of which is currently unknown, is 40 million US dollars, 35 million euros, and 9 kg of gold.
International Resonance and Government Reaction
On March 6, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister stated that the Hungarian authorities effectively “took hostage” seven Ukrainian employees of Oschadbank who were conducting a route between Austria and Ukraine in two cash transport vehicles. The National Police of Ukraine has already opened criminal proceedings regarding the abduction of Ukrainian citizens and the service vehicles of Oschadbank on Hungarian territory.
In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised Ukrainian citizens to refrain from traveling to Hungary or transiting through the country.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated that the country’s authorities have questions regarding the transportation of cash through Hungary. According to him, a thorough investigation will be conducted until clear explanations are received from Kyiv regarding the origin and purpose of the funds. He also expressed doubt about the necessity of transporting such significant amounts of cash by land and noted that if this is indeed a banking transaction, it would be more logical to conduct a transfer between banks.
According to Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs, all seven Ukrainian citizens have been identified and will be expelled from the country. However, details regarding the further fate of the seized funds remain unknown.
In light of the incident, the Hungarian government described President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement as an “open threat,” in which he announced at a briefing in Kyiv that he could provide the Ukrainian military with the address of “one individual in the European Union” who is blocking the provision of European assistance to Ukraine.