Moscow announces quotas for number of Romanian diplomatic staff in Russia

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Moscow on Thursday introduced quotas for the number of employees of Romanian diplomatic missions in Russia.

In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Constantin Ionita, Romania’s charge d’affaires in Moscow, was summoned to the ministry and handed a note on the introduction of quotas for the number of staff of Romanian diplomatic and consular institutions in Russia.

The measure came as a “symmetrical response” to restrictions on the Russian diplomatic missions in Romania, the statement said.

It further said that Russia reserves the right to take “additional retaliatory measures” taking into account the “consistently unfriendly policy pursued by the Romanian authorities toward the Russian Federation.”

The statement added that the policies aimed at creating “artificial and unjustified obstacles” to the functioning of the Russian diplomatic missions in Romania.

On June 8, Romania had asked Russia to reduce the number of staff at its embassy by more than 50 people, and that the accreditation of some employees would be canceled if the decision is not followed.