Russia declares Romanian diplomat persona non grata

MOSCOW

In a tit-for-tat move, Russia declared a diplomat of the Romanian embassy in Moscow persona non grata on Wednesday.

The decision was conveyed to Romanian Ambassador Cristian Istrate, who was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, according to a statement issued by the ministry.

"This measure is a response to the previously unmotivated decision by the Romanian side to declare the diplomat of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest persona non grata," it reads.

Commenting on the Moscow action, the Romanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the decision lacked legal ground under the provisions of the Vienna Convention of 1961 on diplomatic relations.

Regarding the country's decision to expel a Russian diplomat on May 24, the ministry stated, "We remind you that Romanian authorities' decision was line with the Vienna Convention of 1961 on diplomatic relation as the respective Russian diplomat's activities violated the provisions of the convention."