The Ministry of Finance of Belgium and Luxembourg temporarily unlocked the assets of Russian investors worth more than $ 55 billion, we are talking about foreign securities belonging to five millions of Russian citizens. Now those of them who are not under sanctions will receive a chance to withdraw their funds, write foreign media.
Assets were blocked by banks in Belgium and Luxembourg immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russian investors bought these shares on the Moscow and St. Petersburg exchanges. Information about the owners of the papers in Russia was stored in the national settlement depository, which, in turn, kept them in European depositories EuroClear and Clearstream.
Assets were unlocked until January 7, part of this period falls under Christmas weekend in Europe, part – on New Year’s holidays in Russia.