Austria Will Not Expel Russian Diplomats Over Spying Case - Chancellor

Umer Jamshaid Published November 14, 2018 | 11:55 PM

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Wednesday there were no plans to send out Russian diplomats over suspected spying for Russia by a retired officer.

VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th November, 2018) Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Wednesday there were no plans to send out Russian diplomats over suspected spying for Russia by a retired officer.

"EU-Russia ties are regularly discussed at EU meetings and this debate belongs there. Austria will not take any unilateral steps in this regard," the Austrian chancellor told reporters.

Kurz said last week that a retired army colonel had been held for allegedly leaking military secrets to Moscow for 26 years. A court in Salzburg freed him pending trial, prompting prosecutors to appeal.

The announcement "unpleasantly surprised" Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who said the accusations were unfounded. His Austrian counterpart Karin Kneissl canceled her planned trip to Russia.