Money in exchange for “Friendship.” The Hungarian government has stated that the funds seized from the collectors will be returned once the oil pipeline becomes operational.
10 March 13:04
Hungarian Transport Minister János Lázár said that the money seized from Oschadbank collectors will remain in Budapest until Ukraine resumes operation of the Druzhba oil pipeline. This was reported by Telex, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
Lázár said that the detention of Ukrainian collectors and the seizure of funds were Hungary’s response to the suspension of the Druzhba oil pipeline.
“We know that Ukrainians are very nervous. If they blackmail us, we cannot be so stupid as to give in. We did not do what we did by accident, and we will not return the money to them,” he said.
The minister hinted that Hungary may prepare similar operations in the future if the oil pipeline issue remains unresolved.
“The funds are still here, we are waiting for the oil pipeline to open, and we are waiting for new money transfers from Ukraine via Hungary,” Lazar added.
He also said that the longer the restoration of the oil pipeline takes, “the more thorough the checks need to be.”
“The more time it takes to restore the oil pipeline, the more thorough the investigations need to be.”
On March 9, it became known that Mate Kocsis, a representative of the Hungarian ruling party Fidesz, submitted a draft law to parliament, according to which the seized money and gold bars of Ukraine’s Oschadbank will remain under arrest until the end of the investigation.
On the night of March 6, it became known that Hungary had detained two cars belonging to Oschadbank’s cash collection service and seven Ukrainian citizens, employees of the cash collection team. Oschadbank stated that the Ukrainians were regularly transporting foreign currency and bank metals between Raiffeisen Bank Austria and Oschadbank Ukraine. The vehicles were carrying $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kg of gold.
Later, the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary stated that it suspected the Ukrainians of “money laundering.” Later, Hungary deported the Ukrainian cash collectors from the country. However, the vehicles and money were not returned.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga said that the detention of Oschadbank’s cash collectors in Hungary was being considered a possible Russian provocation. He also called on Hungary to return the currency and gold bars that had been seized from Oschadbank’s cash collection vehicles.
