Officials from the National Bank of Ukraine are en route to Budapest to investigate the circumstances surrounding the detention of cash transport teams from Oschadbank. This situation has raised significant concerns among Ukrainian authorities and prompted a swift response.
Andriy Pyshnyy, the head of the National Bank, announced on Facebook that his deputy, Oleksiy Shaban, along with a team, is urgently traveling to Hungary to clarify the details of the incident. Pyshnyy emphasized that the matter is under close scrutiny.
“My deputy Oleksiy Shaban and the bank’s team are urgently heading to Budapest for clarification. We are keeping this issue under control,” Pyshnyy stated.
In parallel, the bank is preparing to reach out to international partners and regulatory bodies regarding compliance with cash transport procedures within the Eurozone and the necessary actions from the Hungarian authorities.
“Ukrainian citizens will not be left to face this situation alone. We demand official information from the Hungarian government regarding the reasons for the detention of Oschadbank employees,” Pyshnyy added.
Details surrounding the detention of Oschadbank employees in Hungary have emerged. On the night of March 6, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha reported that Hungarian authorities had detained seven Oschadbank employees who were transporting cash from Austria.
Oschadbank confirmed that its employees had gone missing in Hungary, and that the cash transport vehicles and valuables were seized. GPS data indicates that the bank’s vehicles are currently located in central Budapest, near a facility associated with Hungarian law enforcement.
The bank further noted that its employees were carrying cash and valuables as part of an international agreement with Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank. The cargo was processed in accordance with international transport regulations and current European customs procedures. The total value of the items in the detained vehicles was reported to be $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kilograms of gold.
Informed sources have indicated that the seized cash transport vehicles are currently held in a secure area of the local Anti-Terrorism Center.
Subsequently, Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration confirmed the detention of the seven Ukrainians on suspicion of money laundering. They also stated that the Hungarian authorities promptly notified the Ukrainian consulate about the initiation of the investigation.
The National Bank of Ukraine is investigating the detention of its employees in Hungary amid a cash transport incident. The situation involves significant sums of money and raises questions about compliance with international regulations.