Finnish President Sauli Niinisto thinks that freezing bank accounts of Finland's diplomats in Russia is a measure that far exceeds the restrictions imposed on the financial operations of the Russian Embassy in Helsinki, the Finnish News Agency (STT) reported on Wednesday
HELSINKI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th May, 2023) Finnish President Sauli Niinisto thinks that freezing bank accounts of Finland's diplomats in Russia is a measure that far exceeds the restrictions imposed on the financial operations of the Russian Embassy in Helsinki, the Finnish News Agency (STT) reported on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Finland's top diplomat, Pekka Haavisto, said that the foreign ministry received information about the freezing of its missions' bank accounts in Russia on April 27, and the issue is still being resolved, but no official explanation has been received yet.
"Freezing bank accounts of Finnish diplomatic missions in Russia goes far beyond the restrictions imposed on the financial operations of the Russian embassy in Helsinki. Freezing accounts as Russia's retaliatory measure is excessive," Niinisto was quoted by STT as saying.
In these circumstances, it is necessary to figure out how to carry out the work of the Finnish diplomatic missions in Russia, the president said.
"Now, we have to think carefully how to ensure the functioning of Finland's embassy in Russia and the consulate in St. Petersburg," Niinisto added.
On April 1, bank accounts of the Russian Center of Science and Culture in Helsinki were frozen by Finnish bank Nordea. On April 18, the center's land and buildings were also seized by the Finnish authorities, a measure which was lifted on the following day.
