The newly appointed Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has returned to Ukraine the 35 million euros and 9 kilograms of gold confiscated in March by the former government of Viktor Orban, after Hungarian authorities intercepted a shipment of goods transported from Austria to Ukraine, a move that sparked a diplomatic scandal between Budapest and Kiev.
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski thanked the Hungarian authorities.
“Today, a significant step was made in relations with Hungary – the funds and assets of Oschadbank that had been confiscated by the Hungarian special services in March have been returned. On that occasion, the Hungarian side illegally detained the Ukrainian officers who were overseeing the money transport. They were brought home earlier, and now both the money and the assets are fully in Ukraine. I am grateful to Hungary for its constructive approach and this civilized gesture”, said Zelenski, in a post published Wednesday on his Twitter account.
In March, a diplomatic scandal broke out between Ukraine and Hungary, after the government in Kiev accused the Hungarian government led by then Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, of “taking hostage” seven employees of a Ukrainian bank in Budapest.
“In Budapest, the Hungarian authorities have taken seven Ukrainian citizens hostage,” all employees of the state bank Oschadbank, wrote at that time, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on X.
“This is state terrorism and extortion” committed by Hungary, the minister denounced, stating that he has already sent an official note requesting the “immediate release” of his compatriots.
Oschadbank stated in a press release that two of its vehicles were transporting “35 million euros and 9 kg of gold” from Raiffeisen Bank in Austria, “in accordance with international transport regulations and current European customs procedures.”