In early February, the Austrian Foreign Ministry said two diplomats of the Russian Embassy and two diplomats of the Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nations were declared personae non gratae due to "acts incompatible with their diplomatic status."
"As a retaliatory measure, four employees of the Austrian Embassy in Russia have been declared 'personae non gratae.' They must leave the country by February 23," the statement read.
Moscow also said that the difficulties with visa issuance for official Russian delegations traveling to Vienna to participate in multilateral events contradict Austria's obligations as a host country.
"This situation will also have consequences," the ministry concluded.
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Russia retaliates by declaring four Austrian diplomats personae non gratae and ordering them to leave the country by the end of the day on February 23, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Thursday.
ReplyDeleteThe ministry said that Austria's ambassador to Moscow, Werner Almhofer, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday, where he was strongly protested over the expulsion of four Russian diplomats. "In retaliation, four employees of the Embassy of the Republic of Austria in the Russian Federation have been declared personae non gratae. They are to leave the country by the end of February 23, 2023. The ambassador has been handed a corresponding note," the statement said.
The ministry pointed out that the "unfriendly and unreasonable" step of Austria caused serious damage to bilateral relations, which were in crisis due to the actions of the Austrian side, as well as the international authority of the country, "previously positioning itself as an unbiased and neutral state and a platform for international diplomacy."