NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyi has sent a team to Budapest to clarify the situation with the seized Oschadbank cash-in-transit crews and vehicles. Ukraine demands the release of its citizens from Hungary and an explanation for the detention.
The Head of the National Bank of Ukraine, Andriy Pyshnyy, announced that the NBU team is going to Budapest to clarify the situation with the seized Oschadbank collection brigades and vehicles, UNN reports.
Regarding the situation with the seized Oschadbank collection brigades and vehicles: My deputy Oleksiy Shaban, with the bank's team, is urgently departing on a business trip to Budapest to clarify the situation. We are keeping the issue under control. In parallel, we are working on an appeal to our partners and regulators on this matter, particularly regarding compliance with CIT control procedures in the Eurozone and the relevant actions of the Hungarian side.
– Pyshnyy wrote on social media.
He stated that "Ukrainian citizens will not be left alone in this situation."
"We demand official information from the Hungarian authorities about the reasons for the detention of Oschadbank employees," Pyshnyy noted.
Context
Oschadbank announced the baseless detention of two armored cash collection vehicles and the disappearance of seven employees in Hungary on March 5. The vehicles were transporting 40 million US dollars, 35 million euros, and 9 kilograms of gold.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha confirmed the seizure of seven Oschadbank employees by Hungarian law enforcement agencies in Budapest. Ukraine considers this a criminal hostage-taking and is preparing an appeal to the EU.
The NBU also issued a statement regarding the seizure of Oschadbank's cash collection vehicles and the illegal detention of cash collection brigade employees in Hungary, stating that it "demands the immediate release of Ukrainian citizens and an official explanation for their detention from the Hungarian authorities, as well as information about the whereabouts of the cash collection vehicles and the corresponding cargo."
As of the morning of March 6, Hungary has still not granted Ukrainian consuls access to the seven citizens detained in Budapest. Ukraine demands their immediate release and is preparing an appeal to the EU.
