Romania is reducing the staff of the Russian Embassy

At the request of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, the Russian Ambassador in Bucharest was informed of the decision to reduce the diplomatic and technical-administrative staff of the Russian Federation's representation in Romania by limiting its number to a level close to the diplomatic and technical-administrative representation of Romania in the Russian Federation.

It is reported by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the Romanian authorities' decision, Russia is required to reduce the number of positions in Romania by 51 positions, including 21 diplomatic positions and 30 positions of technical-administrative staff. This means reducing the personnel currently occupying positions in our country from 40 individuals to 11 diplomats and 29 technical-administrative staff members (the difference between the number of positions and the personnel is due to some positions in Romania being currently vacant).

The choice of positions to be cut and the individuals who will have to leave Romania will be determined by the Russian Federation, while adhering to the limitations set for each category (diplomats and technical-administrative staff).

This measure was taken in accordance with Article 11, Paragraph 1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961 ("In the absence of a specific agreement between the sending and the receiving State, the receiving State may require that the strength of the mission be kept within limits which it considers reasonable and normal, having regard to circumstances and conditions in the receiving State and to the needs of the particular mission"), and reflects the current level of bilateral relations, which have sharply deteriorated after the Russian Federation initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian side was also informed that it has a maximum of 30 days to comply with the Romanian side's decision. If this deadline is not met, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take measures to enforce the decision by withdrawing the accreditation of certain members of the diplomatic and technical-administrative staff of the Russian Embassy in Romania to ensure compliance with the upper limit set for limiting the number of Russian personnel.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, countries around the world have been expelling or stripping diplomatic status from Russian embassy staff.

For example:

• On February 28: The United States declared 12 diplomats from the Russian Mission to the United Nations persona non grata for activities that do not correspond to their obligations and diplomatic work.
• On March 2: Bulgaria expelled two diplomats (reason: "unregulated intelligence activities incompatible with diplomatic relations").
• On March 4: Montenegro expelled one diplomat (reason: the diplomat's actions were found to be contrary to the Geneva Convention on Diplomatic Relations).
• On March 14: Slovakia expelled 3 diplomats (reason: the activities of embassy staff were deemed inconsistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations).
• On March 18: Bulgaria expelled 10 diplomats (reason: activities incompatible with the status of diplomats).
• On March 23: Poland expelled 45 Russian diplomats (reason: engaging in "intelligence activities against Poland").
• On March 28: North Macedonia expelled 5 diplomats (reason: "engaging in activities contrary to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations").
• On March 29: The Czech Republic expelled one diplomat (reason: "restricting the presence of Russian intelligence services in the EU").
• On April 5: Slovenia expelled 33 diplomats, and Romania expelled 10 employees of the diplomatic mission (reason: "their activities and actions contradict the provisions of the Vienna Convention of 1961 on Diplomatic Relations").