Poland closes Consulate General in Russia's St Petersburg after 53 years of work

Warsaw officially closed the Consulate General of Poland in Russia's St Petersburg on Wednesday, 8 January, with the ceremony attended by Polish and foreign diplomats, along with members of the Polish diaspora.

Source: European Pravda, citing Poland's Foreign Ministry; Polish news portal RMF24, citing a comment from Krzysztof Krajewski, Poland's Ambassador to Russia

Details: Krajewski noted that the official ceremony had taken place without any violations or incidents.

Quote: "The ceremony was conducted with dignity, featuring the removal of the Polish and European Union flags and the traditional unscrewing of the information plaque, which was respectfully handed over to me by the consul general," Krajewski told RMF24.

Thus, after 53 years of leasing the building, Poland handed it to the Russian municipal authorities.

The ambassador stated that the property of the consulate general had been transported to Poland, the embassy in Moscow, and partially donated to charity and churches.

Krajewski voiced his hope that Poland's consulate in St. Petersburg will reopen if ties between Poland and Russia improve.

Background: 

• In October, Poland announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Poznań, citing Russia's hybrid warfare and sabotage efforts on Polish territory. The consulate's diplomats and staff vacated the building by late November.
• On 5 December, Russia announced the closure of Poland's Consulate General in St Petersburg in response to the shutdown of its consulate in Poznań.
• Reports also suggested that the Consulate General of Slovakia in St Petersburg would cease operations on 31 December 2024.

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