Sanctions also affect Russians in the Netherlands: ‘No more money for my father with cancer’
Russian Dutch die regularly transfer money to, much worried. Making a huge difficult to continue.
“My parents are 85 and live in Moscow,” a woman tells NOS. She wishes to remain anonymous for security reasons, her name is known to the editors. Normally she brings money when she visits, otherwise she transfers it. Both are now not possible.
“My father has liver cancer. He needs good medicine and many treatments.”
Afraid of losing money
Another woman says that she no longer dares to transfer money to her 81-year-old mother: “That does not work with the Swift sanction. I am afraid of losing my money if I transfer it now.”
They had a good chance that opportunity. “She recently asked me if I could buy medicines from vitamins. I can’t send that now, which I did before.” In addition, they used to have money left over for large expenses, “washing machines of other important things”.
dependency relationship
The group of Russians abroad who normally send money to their families is large, according to Heleen over de Linden, who is researching against Russia at the University of Groningen. “Because pensions in Russia are low but living costs are high, many Russians in the Netherlands transfer money to their elderly parents every month.”
“So far they have been able to retire in the red,” the first woman tells us, but she is worried about the future. “If they lose their pension, they’ll be damned dependent on me.” Due to the plummeting of the ruble, savings in Russia are rapidly losing value.
“My mother gets converted 200 euros per month in pension,” said the second. “She can even manage with her savings, but I won’t know in a few months.”