The National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) is currently investigating a suspected “shocking crime”: Ukrainians have been transporting incredible amounts of cash and gold through Hungary in recent months, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Friday in Budapest. The Hungarian government demands an immediate response and explanation from Ukraine regarding the cash deliveries, as “the question rightly arises as to whether these are funds belonging to the Ukrainian war mafia.”
“Since January, a total of $900 million and €420 million in cash has been transported through Hungary, and 146 kilograms of gold bars have also been moved through the country,” the minister said. “We have a number of serious questions in this regard. First, this is an enormous amount of cash, and we wonder why Ukrainians need to transport such large amounts of cash. If this is indeed a transaction between banks, the question rightly arises as to why the banks do not settle this between themselves by bank transfer, why it is necessary to transport such a large amount of cash, and why it has to be transported through Hungary,” he continued.
These questions arise primarily because these cash transports are accompanied by individuals who clearly have connections to the Ukrainian secret services. We demand an explanation as to why the Ukrainians have transported such enormous amounts of cash through Hungary in recent months. What is this money being used for, and who does it belong to?”
he asked.
Minister Szijjártó made it clear that the Hungarian side also demands an answer to the question of whether this money is only being transported through Hungary or whether it is also being stored here temporarily and possibly used by someone in Hungary or in the interests of someone here in the country. “The question rightly arises as to whether this is money belonging to the Ukrainian war mafia,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian foreign minister claims that the Hungarian authorities “took seven Ukrainian citizens hostage” in Budapest. According to Andrio Sybiha, employees of the state-owned Oschadbank were transporting cash between Austria and Ukraine when they were arrested. Their whereabouts have been unknown since then, he noted.
“In fact, we are talking about Hungary taking hostages and stealing money. If this is the ‘force’ announced earlier today by Mr Orban, then this is a force of a criminal gang. This is state terrorism and racketeering,” reads the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Embassy in Hungary.
The NAV launched criminal proceedings on suspicion of money laundering after seven Ukrainian citizens, including a former secret service general, were brought before the court on Thursday for transporting $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kilograms of gold from Austria to Ukraine via Hungary in two armored cash transport vehicles.
They immediately notified the Ukrainian consular service at the start of the proceedings, but no response has been received to date,
the NAV stated.
A former Ukrainian secret service general was responsible for managing the shipment, the NAV said in a statement on Friday.
The Government Information Center (KTK) announced on Friday that “the backgrounds of the seven Ukrainian citizens had been identified” as part of the proceedings conducted by the NAV. As they wrote, the transport of cash and gold on Hungarian territory was supervised by a former general of the Ukrainian Defense Service, whose deputy was a former major in the Ukrainian Air Force. They were assisted in their work by individuals with military experience, the KTK added. In light of these circumstances, they will be expelled from Hungarian territory on Friday, the announcement stated.
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Via MTI, Featured image: Pixabay
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