Ukrainian banks continue to create a nightmare for Crimean borrowers
Sevastopol, May 04 (Navigator, Olga Nikolaeva) – Ukrainian banks, having closed their branches in Crimea, continue to create a “nightmare” for residents of the peninsula who took out loans.
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By its Resolution No. 260 of May 6, the National Bank of Ukraine closed branches of Ukrainian banks, which led to massive non-payments by Crimeans on mortgage, commodity, collateral, card loans and financial leases.
Ukrainian banks are trying to find ways to return their funds, often resorting to psychological pressure on clients.
Many Sevastopol residents - clients of Russian Standard and Alfa Bank - complain about SMS threats from banks about the alleged transfer of rights to collection agencies of Ukraine and Russia.
“The payment was not received into our account. “You are the second to leave,” one of the Delta Bank clients retold the SMS text to Navigator.
“The departure was approved by the head of the pre-trial collection department and a report on the departure of employees,” this is a message from Russian Standard.
Former clients of Renaissance Credit Bank, which previously massively “distributed” cheap commodity loans for household appliances, are concerned about pressure from the bank, which forces them to re-issue contracts in rubles.
Clients believe that re-issuing agreements with new details in a different currency is impossible due to the lack of bank branches and the terms of the previous loan agreement.
People are torn between the temptation not to pay loans due to a legal conflict, the conviction “not to pay a penny to the fascists” and, on the other hand, the opportunity to pay in good faith, fearing “retribution from the banks.” Some hope to take advantage of favorable “easing” from credit institutions.
Thus, Ukrsibbank, through SMS messages, offers Sevastopol borrowers to pay 25-60% of the debt, others (VTB, OTP) - to repay the debt in mainland Ukraine, or pay in rubles at branches of the Russian RNKB by international Swift transfer with a commission.
Meanwhile, banks continue to charge late fees, increasing the amount of debt.
The Sevastopol Internet Forum is running a campaign to advise supporters of non-repayment of loans to Ukrainian banks.
According to the discussion participants, as a result of the actions of the NBU and the lack of licenses from the Central Bank of Russia among Ukrainian banks, as well as the lack of a mechanism for selling the debts of Crimean borrowers to third parties, Ukrainian banks lost the opportunity to return loans issued to the population.
Based on this, “clients from among the residents of Crimea completely lack a formal basis for repaying the credits (loans) they received,” some Crimean lawyers believe.
In their opinion, the bank did not provide the conditions for repayment of the loan, force majeure circumstances occurred (force majeure) or an insured event, which gives the right not to repay the debt.
“Paying Ukrainian banks for unsecured loans is stupidity and charity,” is the position taken by supporters of this point of view.
In turn, the Bank of Russia (branch for the Republic of Crimea) in response to a request explained that it does not have the right to oblige borrowers to fulfill their obligations to credit institutions of Ukraine.
At the same time, mentioning the “good faith” of borrowers, the Bank of Russia believes that “termination of the activities of loan borrowers should not be considered as grounds for failure to fulfill their obligations.”
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