The declaration by the Russian Federation of a member of the Romanian Embassy in Moscow as persona non grata is a "mirror response to the similar measure taken by Romania in August with regard to a member of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest," Romania's Foreign Ministry said in a release.
The Ministry mentions mind that the decision of the Romanian authorities was determined by the incompatibility of the respective person's activities with the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared a member of the Romanian Embassy in Moscow persona non grata, Russia's RIA news agency reported on Thursday.
According to the cited source, the decision represents a countermeasure to Romania expelling a member of the Russian Federation's Embassy in Romania.
On September 8, Romania's chargé d'affaires to the Russian Federation Cosmin Constantin Ionita was invited to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was handed a ministerial note regarding the declaration of an employee of the Romanian Embassy in Russia as persona non grata, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
This measure is a response to the previous unjustified decision taken by the Romanian side to declare a diplomat of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest persona non grata, the Russian Foreign Ministry adds. AGERPRES