Romanian president blasts PM’s ‘secret’ Israel trip, demands resignation

Romania’s president censured his country’s prime minister for embarking on a visit to Israel and declaring support for moving the embassy to Jerusalem without his consent.

By: AP

Romania’s president has slammed the country’s prime minister for embarking on a visit to Israel without his authorization.

Klaus Iohannis blasted what he described as the “absurd secrecy” surrounding the two-day visit this week of Premier Viorica Dancila to Israel.

“Mrs. Dancila is not up to the job of prime minister of Romania and as a result the government is becoming a liability for Romania. That is why I am publicly calling for Mrs. Dancila’s resignation,” Iohannis said on Friday.

This latest spat comes just a week after Iohannis said Dancila had allegedly overstepped the mark in saying Bucharest was ready to follow the US and move the country’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.

Earlier this month, Liviu Dragnea of the Social Democratic Party, which effectively runs Romania’s government, said Bucharest was ready to move the embassy. His statement coincided with Israel’s 70th Independence Day celebrations.

Iohannis said he hadn’t been informed and that the decision lacked “a solid … base.” However, he said such a decision could be made “after a deep analysis which takes into consideration all the foreign policy consequences and implications.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had welcomed the “Romanian government’s approval of a draft decision on initiating the transfer of the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem.”