Moldovan president Maia Sandu announced on Tuesday, May 26, that Romania’s former president Traian B\u0103sescu has become a citizen of Moldova for a second time, after his citizenship was withdrawn by pro-Russian former president Igor Dodon in 2017.<\/p>\n
During his mandate, which lasted between 2004 and 2014, B\u0103sescu gained a reputation as a supporter of Romania\u2019s smaller neighbor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPresident B\u0103sescu has supported the citizens of the Republic of Moldova with all his strength and unconditionally, regardless of governments. He knows how much struggle has taken place on this land to preserve our identity, the Romanian language, and to break away from the Soviet past to move forward, toward a European future,\u201d said Maia Sandu in a post on Facebook.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. B\u0103sescu is respected and awaited as a brother here, in the Republic of Moldova,\u201d she added, arguing that the removal of B\u0103sescu\u2019s Moldovan citizenship was an injustice.<\/p>\n
Traian B\u0103sescu and his wife, Maria, received the citizenship of the Republic of Moldova in the summer of 2016. However, the same year, pro-Russian former president Igor Dodon signed a decree withdrawing Moldovan citizenship from Traian B\u0103sescu, but not from his wife.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The former Romanian president challenged the decision in court, requesting the annulment of the decree, in the spring of 2017. The Chi\u0219in\u0103u Court of Appeal upheld, on May 10, 2018, the decision of the Chi\u0219in\u0103u District Court, which had ruled in favor of president Igor Dodon\u2019s decision to withdraw Traian B\u0103sescu\u2019s citizenship.<\/p>\n