Hungary has justified the recent seizure of Ukrainian cash transport vehicles and the detention of their crew as a response to alleged Ukrainian obstruction of the Druzhba oil pipeline. Hungarian officials have indicated that similar actions may occur in the future if tensions remain unresolved.
According to Hungarian Minister Lazar, the confiscated funds and gold will remain in Hungary until the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline is restored. He acknowledged that the operation targeting the cash transport vehicles of Ukraine’s Oschadbank was deliberate.
“We know that Ukrainians are very anxious. If we are being blackmailed, we cannot be foolish enough to yield. What we did was not accidental, and we will not return the money to them,”
he stated. Lazar further suggested that Hungary might continue to appropriate Ukrainian funds if the issue regarding the Druzhba pipeline remains unresolved.
He added, “The money will stay here for now; we are waiting for the pipeline to reopen and for new supplies of Ukrainian funds to flow through Hungary.” Lazar also questioned the legality of transporting foreign currency into Ukraine, indicating that the longer the restoration of the pipeline takes, the more scrutiny will be applied to this matter.
In a related incident, Hungary unlawfully detained two cash transport vehicles belonging to Ukraine’s Oschadbank, which were accompanied by seven crew members. These vehicles were transporting $40 million, €35 million, and nine kilograms of gold as part of a routine transfer between Raiffeisen Bank in Austria and Oschadbank in Ukraine.
On the same day, Ukraine managed to secure the release of the seven crew members, but the seized assets remain in Hungary. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it will take appropriate measures, including the initiation of sanctions, in response to the detention of its citizens in Hungary.
It is important to note that Hungary violated three conventions during the detention of the Ukrainian cash transport crew. Despite their status as witnesses, the men were held in shackles for over a day and transported with blindfolds. Hungarian law enforcement took measures to ensure that the detained Ukrainians received no support, and they faced both psychological and physical pressure.
Further analysis of Hungary’s motivations for detaining the cash transport crew and potential currency shortages stemming from this incident is available in a detailed report by RBC-Ukraine.
Hungary's recent seizure of Ukrainian cash transport vehicles has escalated diplomatic tensions, with officials asserting the actions are a response to Ukraine's alleged interference with oil transit. The situation raises concerns over the legality of such detentions and the potential for future incidents.