Sybiha: After seizure of Oschadbank funds, Hungary proposes bill to 'legalize' it

Hungary is promoting a bill to "legalize" the unlawful seizure of funds and valuables belonging to Ukraine’s state-owned Oschadbank, which is another step in a spiral of lawlessness, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has said.

"Hungary is falling down a spiral of lawlessness. Following their theft of Ukrainian state bank money, they are now putting forward a bill to ‘legalize’ the illegal seizure. This is a de facto recognition that Hungary’s actions lack any legal grounds," Sybiha said on the X social network.

The foreign minister said the Hungarians are "just adding lawlessness on top of lawlessness."

Sybiha said Ukraine would hold all those responsible accountable – not only for the theft of the money but, above all, for the brutal treatment of seven Ukrainian citizens in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Earlier media said on March 9, 2026, a member of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party, Máté Kocsis, submitted to the Hungarian parliament a bill aimed at "freezing" (keeping under arrest) the assets of Ukraine’s state-owned Oschadbank seized on March 5 until the completion of a criminal investigation into alleged money laundering.

According to the text of the bill, the assets (cash in U.S. dollars and Euros, as well as bank gold) may be held for at least 60 days to allow covert intelligence and investigative actions by Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration.