Ukraine is actively pursuing the return of funds belonging to Oschadbank, which were seized in Hungary. This issue is set to be discussed with Péter Madár, the leader of the Hungarian party Tisza, which recently won parliamentary elections.
Ukrainian officials have expressed their desire to recover the assets, stating, “They took our money. We will be speaking with Madár. I believe it should be returned. These funds were simply stolen by Viktor Orbán,” referring to Hungary’s Prime Minister.
The situation escalated on March 5, when Hungarian authorities halted a convoy belonging to Oschadbank that was transporting gold and tens of millions of dollars and euros from Vienna to Ukraine. The Hungarian government cited suspicions of money laundering as the reason for the blockade.
During the operation, Hungarian law enforcement reportedly damaged the bank’s armored vehicles, and some gold bars went missing. Ukrainian representatives have accused the Hungarian authorities of incompetence and intentional damage to property.
Additionally, reports from The Guardian indicated that detained individuals may have been subjected to forced injections of an unknown substance resembling a “truth serum” to elicit testimony. One of the affected individuals reportedly suffered a hypertensive crisis and lost consciousness.
The situation has drawn attention from Brussels, with the European Union condemning Hungary’s actions as arbitrary and a violation of the rule of law. EU officials emphasized that such measures jeopardize the safety of international financial transactions within the Schengen Area.
Furthermore, Hungarian authorities have stated that the seized funds and gold will only be returned after the completion of an official investigation. Budapest has characterized the seizure of Oschadbank’s convoy as a “security measure,” denying any political motivations behind the operation.
Ukraine is seeking the return of assets seized by Hungarian authorities, which has prompted accusations of misconduct and raised concerns within the EU regarding the rule of law. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Hungary over financial operations.