Polish Foreign Ministry summons Russian official over consulate closure

Minister-Counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Warsaw, Andrei Ordash, arrived at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 12 to deliver a diplomatic note concerning the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Kraków.

The Polish Foreign Ministry is expected to present a verbal note officially notifying the Russian side of the decision to close the consulate, Caliber.Az reports via Polish media. 

Following the ministry’s decision, Polish state-owned company PKP S.A., the owner of the building housing the consulate at 7 Biskupia Street in Krakow, announced it will not renew the lease agreement.

“After receiving the official decision with the position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we will be able to take further steps and thus not extend the lease agreement with the consulate, both in the form of use permits and a new agreement,” said PKP spokesperson Michał Stilger.

The Russian consulate has operated from the location for around 20 years. A ten-year lease agreement was signed in 2014, and since its expiration, the consulate’s use of the building has been based on short-term permits, according to PKP.

Earlier, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced the consulate's closure earlier on May 12, calling the measure a response to “the proven participation of Russian security services” in the incident.

In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticised the decision and warned that Moscow would respond “adequately to Warsaw’s inadequate steps.”

By Sabina Mammadli