Czech Ambassador Summoned Over Situation With Russian Diplomats' Flats In Prague - Moscow

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Czech Republic's Ambassador in Moscow Vitezslav Pivonka and made a representation to him due to the "abnormal situation that has developed around some properties" in Prague, the ministry said in a statement Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th March, 2019) The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Czech Republic's Ambassador in Moscow Vitezslav Pivonka and made a representation to him due to the "abnormal situation that has developed around some properties" in Prague, the ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

On March 4, Czech online portal Denik N reported that some of the Russian diplomatic residential facilities in Prague were being leased to third parties. The publication recalled that the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations stipulated that the lease of such properties to third parties was illegal. The journalists cited several tenants and ads on real estate websites as proof of their allegations.

"During the conversation, the diplomat's attention was drawn to the abnormal situation around some of the real estate facilities in Prague used by the Russian side.

A representation was made to the head of the Czech diplomatic mission in connection with the unhealthy atmosphere around this issue. The Czech side was told about the need to show restraint in order to avoid destructive consequences and focus on working out balanced solutions in the framework of the negotiation process," the ministry said.

Four apartment blocks mentioned by the publications are located near the building of the Russian Embassy in the Czech Republic. The properties legally belong to the Czech state, however, they are transferred to Russia for an indefinite lease under an interstate agreement. According to the Czech publication, there are more than 150 apartments in the building, and at least some of them are being leased to third parties.