Oschadbank’s assets in Hungary: political statements, investigations and prospects for return

The leader of the Hungarian party “Tisa” Peter Magyar said that he would discuss the issue of returning the funds and bank gold of the Ukrainian Savings Bank with President Volodymyr Zelensky only after he officially takes office as Prime Minister.

The politician stressed that he was not ready to draw final conclusions about the situation at the moment, given the contradictory information in the public space. According to him, a significant part of the messages has signs of information influence, therefore it requires careful verification.

At the same time, Magyar assured that after the formation of the government he would not ignore this issue, although he noted that the dialogue with the Ukrainian side would also include broader topics of bilateral relations.

Political context: accusations and reactions

Previously, Volodymyr Zelensky announced his intention to return the assets of the Savings Bank and planned to discuss this issue with Magyar. At the same time, he accused the current Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, of misappropriating these funds.

In Hungary, officials reject such allegations. In particular, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó admitted that the case may be related to illegal financial transactions and questioned the origin of the funds.

Incident with the detention of collectors

According to Oschadbank, on March 5, two collector cars were detained in Hungary along with currency values ​​and bank metals during transportation between the Austrian bank and Ukraine.

These are significant assets: about 40 million US dollars, 35 million euros and 9 kg of bank gold. The total amount is estimated at more than 82 million dollars.

The bank reported that all transportation was carried out in accordance with European procedures, and such operations are standard practice under martial law. After the incident, employees were fired, but some of the property and funds still remain detained.

Investigation and seizure of assets

The Hungarian authorities have launched an investigation into suspected money laundering. The case is being handled by the National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV).

The leader of the parliamentary faction of the ruling party, Máté Kocís, has submitted a bill that envisages the seizure of seized funds and valuables until the investigation is completed.

The NAV claims that the transported banknotes were new and not in circulation, which, in their opinion, requires additional clarification.

Ukraine’s position: responsibility and return of assets

Foreign Minister Andriy Szybiga stressed that Ukraine intends to hold accountable all those involved in the seizure of assets.

The Ukrainian side insists on the legality of the transportation and considers the situation a violation of international norms and financial procedures.

Perspectives: Politics, Law and Diplomacy

The situation with Oschadbank’s assets has already gone beyond the financial incident and has turned into a complex political and legal case. It combines issues of international law, interstate relations and financial control.

Further developments will largely depend on the results of the investigation in Hungary, as well as on the political dialogue between Kyiv and Budapest after the formation of a new government.

It is expected that after May 9, when Peter Magyar officially heads the government, the negotiation process may gain new momentum.