Romania has decided to reduce the staff of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest by 40, out of which 11 diplomats, to a level close to that of the Romanian Embassy in Moscow, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced on June 8.

Russia must actually reduce its personnel at the Embassy in Bucharest with 51 positions of diplomats (21) and technical and administrative staff (30), of which only 40 are currently occupied. Thus, the total number of diplomatic and technical-administrative posts of the Russian Federation in Romania is reduced by 61%, and the actual number of personnel by 55.5%, the ministry's press release reads.

The decision was communicated to the Russian ambassador to Bucharest, Valeri Kuzmin, who was given 30 days to decide who would leave.

Unless Russia curtails its Embassy's personnel itself, Romania will arbitrarily withdraw the accreditation of some members of the diplomatic and technical-administrative staff.

"Russia will respond accordingly," the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press statement quoted by APA, the Azerbaijani news agency, according to Digi24. 

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Ambasada Rusiei in Romania)