All news

Politician of Ukrainian origin suggests seizing Russian real estate in Berlin — Bild

Lilia Usyk, a Ukrainian-born member of the Berlin City Parliament, demands that Brussels clarify its plans to impose European sanctions on Russia and determine whether Germany has the authority to confiscate the property

BERLIN, July 24. /TASS/. Lilia Usyk, a Ukrainian-born member of the Berlin City Parliament from the opposition party of Christian Democrats, suggested seizing and selling Russia’s real estate property in the German capital, and sending the money to Ukraine, the Bild newspaper wrote.

According to the report, Usyk wants the German authorities to seize allegedly empty buildings in Berlin’s Karlshorst district, which were previously used by the Soviet military in Germany.

She also demands that Brussels clarify its plans to impose European sanctions on Russia and determine whether Germany has the authority to confiscate the property.

"The sanctions are changing all the time. Something that was impossible yesterday can be done tomorrow," the politician said. She also claimed that the authorities in another German city, Cologne, are taking measures to seize 80 apartments previously owned by the Soviet Union’s trade mission.

At the same time, the German capital’s authorities currently see no legal grounds for discontinuing Russia’s ownership over the buildings in question.

According to them, the existing regulations "stipulate that Russia should give its consent to returning them." "However, there are no such agreements at this point," city of Berlin’s construction committee was quoted as saying.