German, EU flags removed from St Petersburg consulate

The flags of Germany and the European Union have been removed from the flagpoles of the German Consulate-General in St. Petersburg, TASS reports.

The coats of arms have also been removed from the facade of the consulate building on Furshtadskaya Street.

The move comes after Russia withdrew its consent for the German Consulate-General in St Petersburg to operate, in retaliation for Germany’s decision to close the Russian Consulate-General in Bonn and the Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on September 7 that the German consulate must cease operations no later than September 18, with all of its staff required to leave Russia by that date. The ministry also ordered Goethe-Institut cultural centres in Russia to cease operations, with their seconded staff required to leave by September 13.

In notes handed to the head of Germany’s diplomatic mission, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that “it is the German authorities who have once again provoked a new round of escalation in bilateral relations” and that the German government bears full and complete responsibility for the consequences.

Germany announced on September 1 that the Russian Consulate-General in Bonn would close on September 18, while the lease for the Russian House in Berlin would be terminated. Berlin also said it would tighten immigration controls for Russian nationals.

The German Foreign Office has confirmed that the St. Petersburg consulate will cease operations by September 18, with its duties to be taken over by the German Embassy in Moscow.

By Tamilla Hasanova