Vehicles belonging to Russian tourists in Germany are reportedly being seized by authorities as part of European Union sanctions, according to multiple media outlets.
German authorities are said to be justifying the move with reference to an EU ban on importing cars from Russia, one of many sanctions implemented by Brussels aimed at weakening the country financially.
News sources are reporting that vehicles imported for private use are also being targeted as part of sanctions enforcement in Germany, with numerous Russian visitors said to have had their vehicles seized.
Drivers are also reportedly being charged with criminal offences related to alleged attempts to circumvent EU sanctions by bringing Russian vehicles into Germany.
Lawyers in Russia have lashed out at the German law enforcement authorities, accusing them of misusing EU sanctions.
“The wording indicates that the legislator clearly did not intend to limit the situation of using cars for personal needs, but had in mind exactly the sale and purchase of cars as goods,” one Russian legal professional told the Russian newspaper Kommersant.
Others have noted that Russian cars imported for personal use do not seem to be subject to seizure in other EU nations, casting further doubt on the German interpretation of the law.
The impounding of personal Russian vehicles in Germany does not appear to be stopping, with the Russian Embassy in Berlin warning its citizens to avoid arriving in them for the time being.
“The Embassy became aware of cases of seizure by German customs officials from Russian citizens of their vehicles registered in the Russian Federation, temporarily imported into Germany for personal use or transit,” an Embassy statement reads.
“Arguments that, in this case, we are not talking about goods intended for sale but about private property used for personal purposes and temporarily imported into the territory of Germany on legal grounds, are not taken into account,” it said.
“Until the situation is clarified (corresponding steps have been taken by the Embassy and consular representations), we strongly recommend that Russian citizens refrain from importing vehicles with Russian registration numbers into the territory of Germany,” the embassy concluded.
Brussels Signal approached the Russian Embassy in Germany for comment but at the time of writing none was forthcoming.
