The Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, has addressed the Hungarian Ombudsman, Imre Juhasz, requesting clarification regarding the reasons for the detention of seven Ukrainian citizens on the territory of Hungary.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Details of the Detention of Ukrainian Cash Transporters in Hungary
Lubinets reported that he sent an official letter demanding urgent responses to key questions related to the detention of Ukrainian citizens. In particular, he is interested in the grounds for the detention, as well as the specific locations and conditions in which the Ukrainians are being held. Additionally, the Ombudsman proposed to hold an urgent online meeting to discuss all circumstances of the event and ensure the protection of the rights of the detained compatriots.
“In my letter, I requested immediate answers to key questions: On what basis were the Ukrainian citizens detained? Where exactly are they being held and under what conditions?”
Reactions from Ukrainian and Hungarian Authorities
Earlier, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Sybiha publicly accused the Hungarian authorities of “taking seven employees of the Ukrainian state ‘Oschadbank’ hostage.” The detainees were employees of the cash transport service who were carrying out a transit route between Austria and Ukraine in two specialized vehicles, transporting funds and valuables as part of regular transfers between state banks. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukrainian diplomats were not granted access to the detained citizens.
“Oschadbank” stated that the cash transport vehicles with seven employees were unjustly stopped in Hungary while transporting foreign currency and banking metals between “Raiffeisen Bank Austria” and “Oschadbank Ukraine.” The value of the transported valuables is estimated at approximately 40 million US dollars, 35 million euros, and 9 kilograms of gold. The bank insists on the immediate release of its employees and the return of the property to Ukraine.
According to media reports, the Hungarian authorities moved the seized cash transport vehicles to a restricted area of the country’s Anti-Terrorism Center.
Hungarian publications report that the National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) has opened an investigation into possible money laundering. As part of this case, seven Ukrainian citizens have been detained, including a former general of Ukrainian intelligence, according to media sources. Two vehicles for transporting cash and valuables have also been seized. The investigation is being conducted with the involvement of the Anti-Terrorism Center.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto demanded explanations from Ukraine regarding the transit of a large sum of cash. According to him, Budapest seeks to clarify whether the money was merely being transported in transit or could have been used on Hungarian territory or for the benefit of local individuals.
Recently, the Hungarian government described President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement as an “open threat,” in which he noted on March 5 in Kyiv that he was ready to provide Ukrainian military personnel with the address of a person in the EU who is blocking European assistance for Ukraine, without naming specific individuals.