Ukraine's third president, Viktor Yushchenko, has written an open letter to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. He urged the Hungarian leader to stop playing along with the aggressor and remember the values of freedom that both politicians “once believed in.”
Yushchenko published the letter on his Facebook page on March 13.
The third president accompanied the letter with an archive photo of himself and Orbán standing side by side. He wrote that he remembered the times when the future of the region seemed common and bright to them, and that both believed then that freedom was the highest gift worth fighting for.
“I remember you differently. I remember a leader who understood the price of dignity and knew what liberation from imperial oppression was. Today I look at your actions and ask myself: where did that Viktor go?” Yushchenko wrote.
The third president wrote that he did not understand how a person who saw the formation of a free Hungary could play along with forces that want to destroy the freedom of his neighbor.
Yushchenko emphasized that Ukraine is “bleeding” for the same values they once discussed at the negotiating table, and that Ukraine is defending not only its land, but also the peace of Hungary and all of Europe.
He also emphasized that politics is primarily about values, not “numbers, profit, or gas.” He reminded Orban of Soviet tanks on the streets of Budapest and stated that by choosing the side of the aggressor, he is betraying not only Ukraine, but also the memory of his own people.
“Stop and remember who you were. History is a harsh judge. It does not forgive those who remained silent or helped evil in times of great trials,” Yushchenko wrote.
Finally, he called on Orban to return “to a true European brotherhood, where honor is valued, not dubious political agreements” and to be a leader “whom the world once respected and who knew that freedom was the only way.”
Hungary blocks €90 billion loan to Ukraine
On February 20, it became known that Hungary blocked the allocation of an EU loan worth 90 billion euros to Ukraine due to the lack of oil transit from Russia through the Druzhba oil pipeline.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that Kyiv informed Budapest about the Russian shelling of the Druzhba oil pipeline in Brody, Lviv region, and the corresponding damage on January 27, and that Ukraine's accusations of delaying supplies are illogical.
Despite this, Peter Szijjártó stated at the EU Council meeting on February 23 that Russia “did not shell” the Druzhba oil pipeline infrastructure, and that Ukraine allegedly stopped transit due to an “internal political decision.” The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry accused the Hungarian minister of statements and actions in favor of Russia.
On February 23, European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told the Public that the EU is not discussing alternative options for allocating a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine, which is being blocked by Hungary.
On March 9, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would fulfill its obligations to provide Ukraine with a 90 billion euro loan.
What is known about the detention of Oschadbank employees in Hungary?
On the night of March 6, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga announced that Hungarian authorities had seized seven Oschadbank employees who were traveling with money on a collection flight from Austria.
Oschadbank confirmed that its employees have disappeared in Hungary, and its collection vehicles and valuables have been seized. According to GPS data, the financial institution's vehicles are currently parked in the center of Budapest, near a building of one of the Hungarian law enforcement agencies.
The state bank also noted that their employees were transporting money and valuables in fulfillment of an international agreement with the Austrian Raiffeisenbank. The cargo was registered in accordance with international transportation rules and current European customs procedures. The amount of valuables in the detained cars amounted to 40 million US dollars, 35 million euros and 9 kilograms of gold.
Informed sources told Suspilny that the seized collection vehicles are in the closed territory of the local Anti-Terrorism Center.
The Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration later confirmed the detention of seven Ukrainians on suspicion of “money laundering.” They also claim that the Hungarian side immediately informed the Ukrainian consulate about the start of the investigation.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called the detention of seven Oschadbank collectors by Hungarian law enforcement officers “arbitrary” and recommended that Ukrainians refrain from traveling to Hungary “due to the impossibility of guaranteeing their safety.”
The Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine, Andriy Pyshny, stated that the department's team is urgently going on a business trip to the Hungarian capital, Budapest, to clarify the situation regarding the seizure of Oschadbank's collection teams.
He also stated that the transportation of currency values by Ukrainian banks is carried out in accordance with international standards and has no violations.
On the evening of March 6, seven detained collectors returned to Ukraine. Despite claims of “money laundering,” Hungary did not detain the Ukrainians who were transporting the funds. The valuables remain on Hungarian territory.
On March 10, the Hungarian government adopted a special resolution, according to which the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary will store the seized funds transported by Ukrainian collectors until the investigation is completed.