German bank closes RT-affiliated companies’ accounts, 1 month after German-language channel’s launch announced
The company behind RT’s video agency Ruptly and RT DE Productions GmbH, which runs the German-language website and plans to launch a German-language TV channel, received a notice about their accounts being closed by Commerzbank.
Ruptly GmbH and RT DE Productions GmbH have been informed by Commerzbank that it will no longer offer them its services, with the decision set to come into force on May 31.
RT believes this to be part of a wider campaign to obstruct its work in Germany. Last November, Commerzbank inexplicably made its terms of service much less financially favorable for RT, starting an ongoing legal dispute. RT has been trying to find a replacement for Commerzbank, but several financial institutions, including Helaba, Deutsche Bank, DZ Bank, BNP Paribas, ING, HSBC, UBS, and HypoVereinsbank, have either ignored RT’s inquiries or refused to open accounts on its behalf.
The latest development comes one month after RT announced it is planning to launch a German-language TV channel in December 2021.
RT has experienced problems with access to banking services in Germany since at least 2017, when Commerzbank attempted to cancel its contract with Ruptly.
Subscribe to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media won’t tell you.
Comments are closed.