Russian Consulate General must close at the end of the year
The Russian Consulate General in Hamburg will have to close on December 31. This was stated by the Senate in response to a minor question from CDU Member of Parliament Götz Wiese. However, according to a note verbale from the Federal Foreign Office dated September 7, the civil law relationships, such as the rights to the property of the Russian Federation as well as rental and lease agreements, remain unaffected by the closure.
The building may only no longer be used as a consular facility from January 1, 2024. All national emblems must be removed. Administrative staff to maintain and monitor the security of the property will be permitted for a limited period of time.
At the end of May, the German government banned Russia from operating four consulates general in Germany in response to the expulsion of German staff. From the end of the year, Russia will only be allowed to operate the embassy in Berlin and one other of the five consulates general to date, a spokesperson for the Federal Foreign Office said at the time. Russia itself would decide which of the consulates in Hamburg, Bonn, Frankfurt, Leipzig and Munich would remain open.
The Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Hamburg is located at Feenteich 20 in the Uhlenhorst district. The consular district of Consul General Andrei Sharashkin covers the federal states of Hamburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein.
The Senate's decision to close the Russian Consulate General in Hamburg at the end of the year might require diplomatic efforts to manage potential conflicts arising from the transition. Despite the closure, legal obligations surrounding the property and its rental agreements will still need to be addressed.
Source: www.dpa.com
