German Foreign Ministry says Russia cannot challenge closure of Russian House in court
German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Giese stated that the Russian side cannot challenge in court the termination of the Russian House's operations in Berlin.
"This is a termination under the standard procedure. It is like with any contract that can be terminated," he noted at a briefing in Berlin. "There are no legal options here. Germany can decide this, and we have decided it," Giese said. The Foreign Ministry spokesman explained that, in accordance with the 2011 agreement, there is a possibility of regular termination by the end of 2026. In that case, it takes effect in mid-2027.
"We will, of course, further complicate the possibilities for its activities by requiring all employees of the House who were sent from Russia to leave the country together with those working in Bonn," Giese said.
Answering a question about what will happen to the plot of land on which the Russian House stands, Giese recalled that ownership rights are regulated by another agreement — from 2013, which is designed for 99 years. "Here we are studying the possibilities of termination. But this will be a bit more complicated," he said.
On Tuesday, the German authorities held Russia responsible for the drone incident at the Leipzig airport in August and announced a tightening of sanctions against Moscow. The federal government came to the conclusion that Russia "bears responsibility" for what happened, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said at a press conference.
The conclusion was made on the basis of a study of the drones' settings and certain components that were used in other hybrid incidents, he pointed out.
The planning of the attack was professional, however "low-level agents" were responsible for carrying it out, Dobrindt noted. Intelligence data also point to involved individuals who "acted on the instructions of Russian state bodies," he added.
At the same time, the head of the Interior Ministry warned of possible new incidents. "We proceed from the assumption that Germany is a target of further hybrid attacks from Russia. We are not in a state of war, but we are daily becoming a target of hybrid military operations," Dobrindt pointed out.
As part of the response measures, the German government decided to close Russia's consulate general in Bonn by September 18, and also to terminate the agreement on the activities of the Russian House in Berlin, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul reported. In addition, Berlin will tighten controls on the entry of Russian citizens into the country and strengthen measures against Russia's "shadow fleet."
"Our message to Russia's leadership is clear: we will not allow Russian attacks to split our social cohesion and will not yield to intimidation," Wadephul said. The government will also "resolutely continue to express our solidarity with Ukraine in its defensive struggle against aggression from Russia," he emphasized.
Source: TASS, Deutsche Welle
