Roundup: Former Romanian president officially becomes Moldovan citizen

Source: Xinhua   2016-11-04 03:47:02

BUCHAREST, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Romania's former President Traian Basescu officially became a citizen of the neighboring Moldova on Thursday, after taking the oath at Moldova's Embassy in Bucharest.

"This is a republic which I love as my country, to which I feel attached through culture, education, language and especially by solidarity," Basescu said after he and his wife Maria Basescu took the Citizenship Oath.

"Namely this prompted me, during the 10 years in office as president of Romania, to undertake actions in favour of Moldova and the European integration of this country," Basescu said.

The Basescu spouses submitted the application in March, and received the citizenship three months later, in early June, under a decree by Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti.

Basescu had announced his intention in 2013, while he was still at the helm of the country.

"Taking into account that you offered the Romanian citizenship to many Moldovan citizens, I think that it is not a problem to offer you the citizenship of Moldova," Timofti said later referring to Basescu's request.

Basescu was Romania's president between 2004 and 2014. In Moldova, he is known for facilitating the procedure for Moldovans of getting back of Romanian citizenship.

Under Romania's relevant law, foreign citizens who can demonstrate that either they, their parents, or their grandparents are of Romanian origin or lived in territories that were part of Romania before the end of World War II are eligible for dual citizenship.

Moldova was part of Romania from 1918 to 1940 when it was annexed by the Soviet Union. It became independent in 1991.

Both Romania and Moldova allow dual citizenship.

According to Basescu, some 500,000 Moldovans obtained Romanian citizenship, during his terms as president.

However, Igor Dodon, the Socialist candidate in the presidential runoff on Nov. 13, was against the granting of Moldovan citizenship to Basescu, whose unionist views are seen by the Socialist leader as "attempts of destroying Moldovan statehood."

Dodon was quoted as saying by local media in June that Basescu would be a citizen of Moldova for a very short time as Timofti's decree would be canceled after the presidential elections, which he expects to win.

Basescu did publicly expressed several times his belief in the future unification of the two countries, either politically or within the framework of the European Union.

Editor: Mu Xuequan
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Roundup: Former Romanian president officially becomes Moldovan citizen

Source: Xinhua 2016-11-04 03:47:02

BUCHAREST, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Romania's former President Traian Basescu officially became a citizen of the neighboring Moldova on Thursday, after taking the oath at Moldova's Embassy in Bucharest.

"This is a republic which I love as my country, to which I feel attached through culture, education, language and especially by solidarity," Basescu said after he and his wife Maria Basescu took the Citizenship Oath.

"Namely this prompted me, during the 10 years in office as president of Romania, to undertake actions in favour of Moldova and the European integration of this country," Basescu said.

The Basescu spouses submitted the application in March, and received the citizenship three months later, in early June, under a decree by Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti.

Basescu had announced his intention in 2013, while he was still at the helm of the country.

"Taking into account that you offered the Romanian citizenship to many Moldovan citizens, I think that it is not a problem to offer you the citizenship of Moldova," Timofti said later referring to Basescu's request.

Basescu was Romania's president between 2004 and 2014. In Moldova, he is known for facilitating the procedure for Moldovans of getting back of Romanian citizenship.

Under Romania's relevant law, foreign citizens who can demonstrate that either they, their parents, or their grandparents are of Romanian origin or lived in territories that were part of Romania before the end of World War II are eligible for dual citizenship.

Moldova was part of Romania from 1918 to 1940 when it was annexed by the Soviet Union. It became independent in 1991.

Both Romania and Moldova allow dual citizenship.

According to Basescu, some 500,000 Moldovans obtained Romanian citizenship, during his terms as president.

However, Igor Dodon, the Socialist candidate in the presidential runoff on Nov. 13, was against the granting of Moldovan citizenship to Basescu, whose unionist views are seen by the Socialist leader as "attempts of destroying Moldovan statehood."

Dodon was quoted as saying by local media in June that Basescu would be a citizen of Moldova for a very short time as Timofti's decree would be canceled after the presidential elections, which he expects to win.

Basescu did publicly expressed several times his belief in the future unification of the two countries, either politically or within the framework of the European Union.

[Editor: huaxia]
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