MFA recommends that Ukrainians refrain from traveling to Hungary

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Ukrainian citizens refrain from traveling to Hungary amid the kidnapping of employees and theft of property belonging to Oschadbank in Budapest.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed this in a statement, Ukrinform reports.

“In connection with the kidnapping of seven Ukrainian citizens and the theft of property belonging to a state bank in Budapest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Ukrainian citizens refrain from traveling to Hungary due to the inability to guarantee their safety amid the arbitrary actions of the Hungarian authorities,” the statement said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also urges Ukrainians to “prioritize other transit routes, not through Hungarian territory,” if possible.

“We also draw the attention of Ukrainian and European businesses to the threat of arbitrary seizure of property on Hungarian territory and recommend that these risks be taken into account in the context of any business activity in this country,” the foreign ministry added.

As reported by Ukrinform, on the night of March 6, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that in Budapest, the Hungarian authorities took seven Ukrainian citizens, employees of Oschadbank, hostage and stole the money they were transporting. According to him, the seven Oschadbank employees were traveling in two bank vehicles between Austria and Ukraine, transporting cash as part of regular services between state banks.

The National Bank of Ukraine demands the release of the Oschadbank cash collection team employees who are being illegally detained in Hungary.

The Hungarian side has not yet granted Ukrainian consuls access to the seven detained Oschadbank employees.