Russian Ambassador in Bucharest summoned over Romanian treasure in Moscow

The Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Bucharest, Valery Kuzmin, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) after the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, responded to Romania’s claims over its national treasure which Russia confiscated following World War I.

The comments made by the Russian spokesperson on an ironic note were posted by the Russian Embassy in Bucharest. Zaharova claimed that almost all of Romania's gold and other valuables were returned, but in fact, Romania owes 20-25 times more to Russia and the Soviet Union in war compensations.

The topic climbed on the bilateral agenda after the European Parliament's vote in support of returning Romania's national treasure. The EP on March 14 approved a resolution saying that Romania’s gold treasure, which weighed 91.5 tonnes and was sent to Russia for safekeeping between 1916 and 1917 to the Russian Empire (Romania’s ally besides France and the UK), was never fully returned.

Romania’s MAE conveyed its “deep dissatisfaction” regarding the "deformed, truncated and non-compliant manner" in which the Embassy of the Russian Federation approach important topics "with bilateral relevance, which originate in the historical past," Hotnews.ro reported.

“The deputies ask the European Commission and the European External Action Service to include the return of the Romanian national treasure on the bilateral diplomatic agenda governing EU-Russia relations once the regional context permits the resumption of political dialogue between the parties,” the European Parliament said in the press release.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)