Romanian officials on a visit to Israel

Described as a big success by the Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, her visit to Israel seems to have vexed Romanias president Klaus Iohannis.

Bogdan Matei, 27.04.2018, 13:47

The proposal regarding the relocation of the Romanian
Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, strengthening cooperation in the economic
and military fields and other strategic issues were high on the agenda of the
talks held on Thursday by the Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, the
Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Liviu Dragnea and the Foreign Minister
Teodor Melescanu with the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. Both the Romanian
Prime Minister and Liviu Dragnea, the iron fist of the governing coalition made
up by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats,
also met with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who hailed the
launch, by the Romanian Government, of the internal talks concerning the
relocation of the Romanian embassy. The Prime Minister has told the Radio
Romania correspondent in Israel that her official visit to Israel was a
success:

At the meeting with
the Prime Minister Netanyahu, we agreed to hold a joint government meeting, in
Bucharest, to discuss projects in detail. I also had a meeting with the
president of Israel, and we discussed the situation in the region, the
geo-political situation and also the fact that Romania needs an ambassador to
Israel. There is a person nominated for that office, and we are waiting for
president Iohannis to endorse the nomination. Last but not least, I made what
for me was an emotional visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, having also
had a meeting with the Patriarch of Jerusalem. I was very happy to be awarded
the Jerusalem Cross and Star.

However, Romania’s
President Klaus Iohannis doesn’t seem to share the enthusiasm displayed by the
Prime Minister, and has stated he actually did not understand the purpose of
that visit. Klaus Iohannis:

I will certainly
ask Ms. Dancila why she went on that bilateral visit, without informing or
calling me, at least out of mere courtesy, because, even if the Social
Democratic Party does not like it, I am the president of the country and I am
responsible for the country’s foreign policy.

Against this
background, President Klaus Iohannis has rejected any accusation of
anti-Semitism and has hailed the fact that the relations between Romania and
Israel are excellent. Voiced as early as Monday, before the Prime Minister’s
visit to Israel, his irritation was actually caused by the hasty manner in
which the Government set forth the issue of the relocation of the Romanian
embassy in Israel. A prospective talk on this issue is by no means wrong, the
head of state has stressed. However, he has recalled that the European Union
has firmly recommended all its members to abstain from moving their embassies
until the Israelis and the Palestinians officially clarify the status of Jerusalem.
Pundits in Bucharest say that the cohabitation of the right-wing president and
the leftist Government, already tense due to many divergences regarding
domestic issues, will from now on be affected by divergences on foreign affairs
too.