Diplomatic Scandal

Moscow Expels Austria’s Economic Delegate

Elisabeth Mindlberger is expected to leave Russia within a week.(Bild: Krone-Collage/EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV, Barbara Kneidinger)

Austria’s economic delegate, Elisabeth Mindlberger, must leave Moscow by the end of this week. Notably, this decision is said to have been made before Austria recently expelled four Russian diplomats on suspicion of espionage.

Mindlberger’s stay in Russia was apparently ill-fated from the start. According to a report in *Die Presse*, she had only been working in the country since last year. Diplomatic hurdles reportedly caused her to wait an entire year for her entry visa.

Austria, too, reportedly denied entry to the designated Russian trade delegate for a year. Ultimately, Russia is said to have issued Mindlberger a visa because Austria had also promised one to the Russian trade delegate. So far, however, he has not yet received one.

Moscow is increasingly isolating itself from Europe.(Bild: AP/Pavel Bednyakov)

Foreign Ministry Says There Is “No Justification”
The Austrian Foreign Ministry confirmed the accuracy of the report. However, the ministry stated that, from Austria’s perspective, there was “no justification whatsoever” for this measure.

Previously, the Austrian Chamber of Commerce had confirmed the measure to the newspaper. Citing a person familiar with the matter, the newspaper reported that Russia had already decided on—or communicated—the expulsion of the delegates more than two weeks ago.

Kneissl Concerned About Recent Developments
Former Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, who is currently working in Russia, had already expressed alarm to the Russian state news agency “RIA Novosti”: “Diplomatic channels should always be maintained. In difficult times, they are needed even more. You don’t need them on sunny days—but you do on rainy ones.” She recommended not letting ties between the countries break down.