Police officers in Vienna no longer accept gifts from Russia. A spokesperson for the Vienna State Police Directorate made the announcement after several police officers were seen leaving the Russian embassy with gift bags. There was no wrongdoing, but it did leave an undesirable impression, the spokesperson said.
Such attention should therefore be politely but firmly rejected. The officers were on duty during the Russian presidential elections on March 17 to ensure security around voting in the embassy. After the last voter left the embassy shortly after 10 p.m., at least six employees of the State Office for State Security and Extremism (LSE) and the police followed with assistance dogs.
Gift bags with Russian national coat of arms
At least three carried gift bags with the Russian national coat of arms. They did not want to say on the spot whether it was customary at the Russian embassy to accept gifts. The operation took place after Austria declared two Russian diplomats persona non grata. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on this occasion that bilateral relations between Vienna and Moscow actually cannot get worse.
Food and gifts
Ambassador Dmitri Ljubinski praised the cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior in two of the three video messages on election Sunday. Uniformed police officers and LSE members in plain clothes were not only on duty in front of the building, but also regularly entered and left the embassy. This was justified by a police officer with the opportunity to use the toilet in the building. Apparently the police officers were also fed and given gifts by the Russians.
No misconduct according to the Civil Servants Act
Upon request, the Directorate of the Vienna State Police confirmed the receipt of gifts. “After the operation ended, officers received paper bags containing items of low value,” the spokesperson said. Although this is not an abuse within the meaning of the Civil Service Act, it leaves an undesirable impression that does not do justice to the professional approach of the officers on site. The officials were informed of this and encouraged to refuse.
Contents of the bags unknown
The Viennese police spokesman justified the temporary access to the building by saying that the officers were there on March 17, among other things, to protect the diplomatic facility and that contact had been made with embassy employees. He left the question about the specific contents of the bags unanswered. The spokesperson for the Russian embassy also declined to comment.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
