Homeland|Freezing of accounts
Russia froze the bank accounts of Finland’s embassies in Russia at the end of April. According to Russia, it is a countermeasure to the restriction of the banking services of Russian missions in Finland. The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs refutes the claim.
Russia has frozen the accounts of Finnish embassies in Russia. The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday that the investigation of the matter will continue with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Russia froze at the end of April The Russian bank accounts of the Finnish Embassy in Moscow and the Consulate General in St. Petersburg. Finland has given Russia a note on the matter, said the foreign minister Pekka Haavisto (green) on Wednesday at a press conference.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told HS via email on Thursday that the Finnish Embassy in Moscow contacted the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the first time regarding the bank account issue at the beginning of May. At the same time, the Finnish note was also brought to Russia’s attention.
Russian spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova confirmed on Wednesday that the accounts had been frozen and said that the freezing of the accounts is about Russian retaliation.
According to Zaharova, Russian missions in Finland can only use an account in one Finnish bank.
“We have repeatedly raised the issue and asked Finland to lift the restrictions. We have also warned more than once that we will have to take countermeasures if the situation is not resolved. However, the Finnish authorities have not done anything to resolve the matter.”
Finland On Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refutes Zaharova’s claims, according to which Finland has, among other things, limited the banking services of the Russian missions.
“Neither the State of Finland nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has restricted access to banking services of Russian embassies or frozen their accounts. On the contrary, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has tried to secure the continuation of these banking services”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ communication is answered via email.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marija Zaharova confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that Russia has frozen the accounts of Finnish embassies in Russia.
Zakharova did not specify in its introduction which Finnish bank it was about. The Russian embassy in Helsinki said in a statement published on its website in the bulletinthat the embassy should only use Nordea.
The embassy’s press release states that the Finnish embassy in Moscow has been given the opportunity to use the Russian VTB bank in accordance with the principle of reciprocity.
Finland the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently waiting for clarification from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the conditions for the continuation of banking services.
“At the same time, the embassies have investigated other possible payment methods, including cash, in the event of a longer interruption to banking services,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an e-mail on Thursday.
Finland has also invoked the Vienna Convention when commenting on the freezing of its accounts in the direction of Russia.
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