EU discusses travel restrictions for Russian diplomats

European officials are discussing possible restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats in the European Union.

As reported by 24-hour Romanian TV news channel Digi 24, the discussions are taking place in the context of suspected Russian interference in EU countries’ internal affairs or elections in various forms, especially after the recent presidential election in Romania.

The authorities in Bucharest have already discussed this issue with their NATO partners and representatives of the eastern flank countries.

Sources in Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs say officials are reviewing the situation around Russian diplomats on European territory and considering whether their travel should be restricted.

Immediately after the presidential election in Romania, the United States warned of the consequences that Romania's alienation from the West would have and accused Russia of interfering in the Romanian elections. In response, the Russian ambassador in Bucharest said that the United States was directly involved in the Romanian electoral process and that it was spreading unfounded or false information.

Czechia has long promoted restrictions on Russian diplomats’ travel within the European Union.

On 6 December, the Constitutional Court of Romania annulled the results of the first round of voting, in which the independent anti-Western, pro-Russian candidate Călin Georgescu came out ahead, and decided that the entire election process should start again.

This followed the revelation that documents declassified by the Supreme National Defence Council had indicated that Georgescu’s campaign was the result of organised manipulation from abroad.