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Introduction of mandatory visas for the Romanian citizens is a discriminating measure adopted by the authorities in Chisinau, a measure without a legal base and which infringes the agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Commission, according to which visas for European citizens cannot be adopted on the basis of nationality or citizenship, stated on Thursday the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Cristian Diaconescu.

He said the Moldovan authorities' measures targeting the Romanian citizens are 'arbitrary and discriminating'.

'First of all, the establishment without a legal base of the Romanian citizenship as a criteria for the introduction of mandatory visas is a discriminating measure because, according to the agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Commission, the measure can be introduced only for certain categories of visitors and, in any case, not on nationality or citizenship criteria', pointed out Diaconescu.

Secondly, Chief of Romanian diplomacy said, provisions of the agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Commission on facilitating visas and the readmission were infringed, which stipulates the need to notify Brussels 48 hours ahead of taking such a measure, namely the introduction of visas. But till now Brussels was not notified.

'The official announcement to Romanian MAE (on visas introduction - editor's note) was made as the result of a notification received by us on April 8, at 9:00 p.m. and the measure was enforced starting midnight', said Diaconescu.

'We view it as a reckless action reflecting the huge gap between the statements of the authorities in Chisinau and their desire to really act in an European spirit', concluded Chief of Romanian diplomacy, announcing that he already notified the European Commission in connection with these aspects. AGERPRES