Bank Mandiri Clarifies Ukraine Ambassador's Claim on Blocked Transactions

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-owned Bank Mandiri on Thursday evening clarified a claim from Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia Vasyl Hamianin, who previously said the bank and two others have blocked transactions to-and-from Indonesia to the war-stricken country. 

Mandiri, through its corporate secretary Rudi As Aturridha, in a written statement to Tempo explained that the bank continues to facilitate incoming and outgoing transactions conducted by the Ukrainian Embassy in Indonesia. 

"We can even say that during the period of March to April, Bank Mandiri has facilitated a number of transactions related to the Ukraine Embassy, especially outgoing [transactions]," said Aturrida on May 12. 

He also asserted that the bank continues to abide by international financial traffic best practices and work together with global correspondent banks that have clearing access to foreign currencies. Bank Mandiri, he added, continues to implement enhanced due diligence and screenings for foreign transactions. 

Previously, Ukraine's Ambassador expressed his concerns about transfer difficulties from three banks, including Bank Mandiri, following the Russian invasion of his home country at the end of February this year. He said he had been bewildered by this situation as Ukraine had not been sanctioned by the international community, unlike Russia. 

Read: Bank Mandiri Speaks Up about Inaccessible Livin' by Mandiri App

DANIEL AHMAD