France freezes bank accounts of Russian cultural center

The French government is reportedly in the pursuit of shutting down the Russian House of Science and Culture in Paris, having imposed the freezing of its bank accounts.

Alexey Meshkov, the Russian Ambassador to France has announced this latest development, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media. 

"We are engaged in difficult negotiations with the French side on this matter, especially since the Russian House operates here on a legal basis under a bilateral agreement, and the French Cultural Center is functioning in Russia," Meshkov told the media.

Founded in 1995 under an agreement between the Government of the French Republic and the Government of the Russian Federation, the Russian cultural center in Paris aims to support and enhance relations between Russia and France in the fields of culture and science. According to it's official website, the center has hosted over 100 events on average annually, ranging from cultural to educational, as well as public events, including art exhibitions, regional presentations, forums, conferences, book fairs, film screenings, concerts, and more.

By Nazrin Sadigova