Two Romanian Journalists Expelled From Moldova

Reporter Iosif Buble and cameraman Robert Dicu said they arrived on the Chisinau airport Wednesday 20 minutes past midnight on a flight from Budapest. Whjile waiting for passport control, they were told by Moldovan police that as of midnight, Romanians required a visa to enter the Republic of Moldova.

The two said they were subjected to questioning and kept in a room at the airport’s departures terminal until their passports were returned.

"After they asked us several questions, they took us to departures and locked us in a room, we were alone,” Buble told MEDIAFAX Thursday morning.

After they received their passports back, they were told by police that they didn’t have a visa and they could either return to Romanian willingly or they would be expelled. When they refused to return, they were handed expulsion papers.

Moldova introduced travel visas for Romanians as of April 9 at midnight after accusing Romania of being behind anticommunist riots that took place in Chisinau over the past days. On Wednesday, Moldovan authorities also expelled Romania’s ambassador to Moldova and another Romanian diplomat.