Romania, present at US Embassy in Jerusalem opening

Romania sent a representative to the opening reception of the US Embassy in Jerusalem, on Sunday evening, May 13, the Foreign Affairs Ministry announced. Romania was one of the few European Union countries that was represented at this event, alongside Hungary, Austria and Czech Republic, according to the Israeli media, cited by local Mediafax. Some 30 of the 86 countries that have diplomatic representations in Israel accepted the invitation to this event. Germany, Poland and Russia were among those that declined. Romania, Czech Republic and Hungary have had a divergent position to that of the majority of EU members on this issue. The three countries blocked the initiative of a joint EU statement that condemned the move of the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Foreign Affairs Ministry motivated this decision saying the statement was “unbalanced”. Moreover, Romania was the first EU country that announced it would analyze moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Chamber of Deputies speaker Liviu Dragnea, who is also the leader of the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) said recently that Romania would take this step to show its support for Israel and US. However, the Government announced it was analyzing the effects of such a move and that it didn’t make a decision yet. President Klaus Iohannis, who has an important say in Romania’s foreign policy, doesn’t agree to such a move that would isolate Romania in the EU and affect its relations with Arab countries. Foreign affairs minister: Moving embassy to Jerusalem could impact Romania’s UN Security Council bid editor@romania-insider.com