KIEV (dpa-AFX) – After the seizure of a Ukrainian money transporter in Hungary and the arrest of seven companions, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned the Hungarian ambassador. In a protest note, Kiev accused Budapest, among other things, of violating the European Convention on Human Rights in its dealings with Ukrainian citizens, the authority announced. Hungary is accused of illegal arrest, intimidation and excessive use of force.
Last week, the Hungarian police briefly detained two cash-in-transit vehicles carrying seven employees of the state-owned Ukrainian savings bank and raised allegations of money laundering. Despite an official request, Ukrainian consular officials were not granted access to those arrested, the Kiev Foreign Ministry said.
The background to the scandal is the dispute between Hungary and Ukraine over oil deliveries from Russia. Until recently, these also ran through Ukrainian territory via the “Druzhba” pipeline. After the pipeline was damaged as a result of Russian attacks, the government in Budapest, which is about to face a critical parliamentary election, called on Kiev to quickly repair and resume transit. According to the Ukrainian version, a quick repair is not possible, which is met with disbelief in Hungary – and also neighboring Slovakia.
In order to increase the pressure, Hungary has blocked the EU from granting a million-dollar loan to Ukraine, which is vital for the survival of the country attacked by Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj then even threatened Hungary’s Prime Minister Orban with his own soldiers./ksr/DP/zb
