Politico: Russia promises ‘harsh’ response after Poland seizes Warsaw building
Polish authorities seized the building near Moscow’s embassy in Warsaw Saturday morning.
Moscow on Saturday said there would be a “harsh” reaction and consequences for Poland’s interests in Russia, after Polish authorities seized a building near Moscow’s embassy in Warsaw — a step Russia labeled “illegal.”
The building, used as a high school for the children of diplomats, belongs to the Warsaw city hall, Polish foreign ministry spokesman Łukasz Jasina told AFP, adding that authorities had acted on a bailiff’s order.
But Russia’s foreign ministry slammed the move as a “hostile” act in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and as an encroachment against Russian diplomatic property in Poland.
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Update #1: Russia vows retaliation after Poland seizes embassy school (CNN)
Update #2: Russia pledges harsh response after Polish 'seizure' of embassy school in Warsaw (Reuters)
WNU Editor: Major countries, after their embassies and consulates, usually operate other buildings that provide housing, schools, extra office space, etc., to accommodate their staff and families. These other buildings are considered as under "diplomatic" protection.
In the case of this school and another building in Warsaw, the decision has been made that even though these buildings have been operated by Russia for years, their diplomatic immunity no longer applies.
Here is an easy prediction. This action by the Polish government is going to open a Pandoras Box on what will now be treated as being under diplomatic protection or not.