Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with local news television Romania TV that he is “sure” that Romania would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem after the United States will do so.

“I don’t get involved in other states’ politics. We only ask them to accept things as they are. […] I’m not only sure, I know this – I am sure that Romania will consider this situation and a decision will be made so that the embassy is moved to Jerusalem,” Netanyahu said.

The subject of moving Romania’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has been highly debated internally this year, after Liviu Dragnea, the leader of the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), announced in April that the government adopted a memorandum to start the procedure of moving its embassy to Jerusalem. After the announcement, the Presidential Administration said the president wasn’t informed or consulted about this move. It also said that this decision is not based on “solid and comprehensive assessments.”

Dragnea and prime minister Viorica Dancila also made a visit to Israel, which president Klaus Iohannis criticized. The following day, Iohannis asked Dancila to resign.

Viorica Dancila and Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet again on Friday, November 2, in Varna, Bulgaria. The Romanian PM is in Bulgaria to attend a reunion of top officials from Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is also expected to join this meeting.

Romanian PM leaves for a week to visit Bulgaria, Oman and Qatar

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Gov.ro)