Australia has blocked Russia from building an embassy near its parliament, due to a spying risk. Intelligence agencies have given clear advice on the move according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Laws drafter to halt construction were rapidly passed on Thursday after legal attempts to block the development failed.
The Kremlin called the move “yet another unfriendly action” that would be taken into account in the future. A Russian diplomat said that the embassy was seeking legal advice. The new legislation acknowledges that Russia may be eligible for financial compensation and that the current embassy will not be affected by the new laws. The patch of land is 400 meters from Canberra’s Parliament House. An attempt to cancel the lease to the property was thrown out by the federal court last month, which caused the new legislation to be drawn up. The laws were introduced and passed through the House of Representatives in less than five minutes. Concerns of electronic surveillance due to the proximity of the property to the Parliament House have been cited by officials.
Read More: Australia blocks new Canberra Russian embassy site over spying risk
