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Russian Embassy in Bucharest informed to cut diplomatic staff, in order to avoid accreditations withdrawal
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs that, at the request of minister Bogdan Aurescu, the ambassador of the Russian Federation in Bucharest was informed on Thursday, during a meeting with the secretary of state for Strategic Affairs, about the decision of the Romanian authorities to reduce the diplomatic and technical-administrative staff of the Russian Federation in Romania by limiting its number to a level close to that of the diplomatic and technical-administrative representation of Romania in the Russian Federation, a statement sent by MAE reads.
According to the decision of the Romanian authorities, the Russian Federation must slash the number of positions in Romania by 51 positions, i.e. by 21 diplomatic positions and by 30 technical-administrative personnel positions, respectively by reducing the staff actually at the post in our country by 40 persons, i.e. with 11 diplomats and 29 people belonging to the technical-administrative staff (the difference between the number of posts and the number of staff actually at the post is explained by the fact that not all positions on the scheme of Russian personnel in Romania are currently filled).
The choice of the positions that will be cut and the people who will have to leave Romania will belong (in this phase) to the Russian Federation, respecting the limitations related to each category (diplomats, respectively technical-administrative staff). Thus, the total number of diplomatic and technical-administrative positions of the Russian Federation in Romania is reduced by 61 pct, and the effective number of personnel by 55.5 pct, the MAE says.
The measure was adopted in accordance with the provisions of art. 11 paragraph 1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961 ("In the absence of an explicit agreement on the mission, the receiving state may request that this force be maintained within the limits of what it considers reasonable and normal, considering the circumstances and the existing conditions in this state and the needs of the mission in question") and reflects the current level of bilateral relations, drastically reduced by Romania after the Russian Federation launched the war of aggression against Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says.
The Russian side was also informed about the fact that it has at most 30 days to implement the decision of the Romanian side.
If this deadline is not respected, the Romanian MAE will take measures to implement the decision by withdrawing the accreditation of some members of the diplomatic and technical-administrative staff of the Russian Federation in Romania in order to ensure compliance with the ceiling decided for the limitation of Russian staff in our country.