Moscow Protests Expulsion of Russian Diplomats in Budapest, Takes Similar Action Against Hungarian Diplomats

Moscow, 1 October (KUNA) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday the recall of the Hungarian Chargé d’Affaires in Moscow and informed him of Russia’s protest against Budapest’s expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats. The ministry added in a statement that the Chargé d’Affaires was also notified of Russia’s decision to expel a group of staff members from the Hungarian embassy in Moscow and its two general consulates in Saint Petersburg and Kazan, and that they were given a two-week deadline to leave. The statement noted that the Russian measure was a response to what it described as an “unfounded and unfriendly” expulsion of Russian diplomats, while the Hungarian Foreign Ministry confirmed its awareness of the decision and expressed its desire not to escalate tensions in relations with Moscow. On 8 September last year, Hungary had ordered 10 Russian diplomats to leave its territory, stating that they had engaged in activities “incompatible with their diplomatic status,” at which time Moscow announced it would respond to this step. (End) D.A.N./M.A.A.