LARGEST RUSSIAN BANK CARRIES OUT MONEY TRANSFERS TO KARABAKH
Today.Az
cs/54965.html
Aug 25 2009
Azerbaijan
As surprising as it may sound, one can carry out express money
transfers to Nagorno-Karabakh via Sberbank (Savings Bank), largest
bank in Russia and CIS area.
So, Sberbank de facto helps Armenian diaspora to transfer money to the
unrecognized "Nagorno Karabakh Republic" and helps Nagorno-Karabakh
separatists.
Assets of Sberbank make up quarter of Russia’s banking system and
it has share of 30 percent in country’s banking capital. According
to the magazine ‘The Banker’ (as of July 1, 2009), Sberbank held
38th place for volume of the fixed capital (first-level capital)
among the largest banks in the world.
Hot line at the Sberbank also confirmed that the bank carries
remittances to Nagorno-Karabakh.
"It is possible to carry out money transfers to Nagorno-Karabakh. The
money transfer will be carried out with the help of our correspondent
bank. You can get familiar with the list of correspondent banks,
depending on the currency transferred, in the office of the Sberbank,"
specialist at the hot line who introduced herself as Svetlana said.
Hot line specialist also said that one can transfer money to any bank
in Nagorno-Karabakh via Sberbank.
"You can transfer money to any bank located in
Nagorno-Karabakh. Sberbank transfers money to any area of the globe,
regardless of in which republic or state it is located," specialist
at hot line Tatiana said.
While trying to explain to the specialist that Nagorno Karabakh is an
inalienable part of Azerbaijan and cooperation with banks operating
in Karabakh is illegal she said the following: " I understand your
concerns very well, but the transfers are carried out."
The Sberbank official Web site states that the transfers to
Nagorno-Karabakh is available in two branches of ARDSHININVESTBANK.
Azerbaijan’s Central Bank has always respond to such facts in time
and has sent official letter of protest to relevant banks engaged in
similar activities.
It is noticeable that systems of money transfers such as WesternUnion
and Migom ceased money transfers to Nagorno-Karabakh separatists
due to series of articles by Day.Az and Azerbaijani Central Bank’s
intervention. Moneygram remittance system which ignored Azerbaijani
Central Bank’s request was banned in Azerbaijan.