Romania expels Russian diplomat

The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday the expulsion of a Russian diplomat in Bucharest.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry, the Romanian authorities have informed on Tuesday the Russian part of their decision to declare persona non grata, a diplomat working in the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bucharest, a diplomatic row equivalent to that of the Romanian diplomat Gabriel Grecu, accused of espionage by the Federal Security Service of Russia in Moscow.

In a press statement also issued Tuesday, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the "serious breach" of the Russian authorities with the provisions of the Vienna Convention committed by the arrest Monday of the Romanian diplomat accredited to Moscow, as well as treatment completely inappropriate that has been reserved.

The diplomat, who was detained by Federal Security Service of Russia, was declared persona non grata, and was asked to leave Russia within 48 hours.

The Russian Security Service said that Mr. Grecu was an intelligence officer working for the professional foreign intelligence services in Romania.

Local experts note that this incident comes a year after the expulsion of two Romanian diplomats Ukrainian accused of spying for Moscow.
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