expel

A Russian envoy to Bucharest was declared persona non grata by Romanian authorities and has 48 hours to leave the country, Romania’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Tuesday.

Iustinian Focsa, secretary with the Romanian General Consulate in Chernivtsi, and Radu Filip, military attaché with the Romanian Embassy in Kiev, are to be expelled from the country for alleged actions which jeopardize Ukraine’s national security, said sources quoted by the Ukrainskaia Prada.

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc stated for the “Gandul” daily that “legally speaking, we are not talking about an expulsion on the part of Romania,” referring to rumors that certain Ukrainian officials were expelled from the country. He added that the Foreign Ministry will issue a statement soon.