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Austrian Foreign Ministry confirms media reports on expulsion of Russian diplomats

The diplomats will have to leave Austria by the end of March 19

VIENNA, March 13. /TASS/. Austria’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed to TASS that media reports about the decision to expel two Russian diplomats are true.

"Two diplomats of the Russian embassy have acted in a manner that is incompatible with their diplomatic status. Therefore, the Foreign Ministry declared them personae non gratae under Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," the ministry said.

The diplomats will have to leave Austria by the end of March 19, the Foreign Ministry said. No exact reasons for the expulsion were given.

Earlier, the Die Presse newspaper reported that the Austrian authorities would expel two employees of the Russian embassy. The diplomatic mission said that Vienna had not provided any proof of violations allegedly committed by the diplomats.

Last February, Austria said that four Russian diplomats accredited in the country had been declared personae non gratae.

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