President Sandu signs decree returning citizenship to Traian Basescu
Moldovan President Maia Sandu has signed a decree granting Moldovan citizenship to former Romanian President Traian Basescu. The decision, signed on May 26, took effect immediately following an official request from the former Romanian leader.
The presidency emphasized that this move represents an expression of gratitude for Basescu's continuous and steadfast support for the Republic of Moldova.
During the "Jurnal Politic" podcast, President Maia Sandu said:
It is an honor for me to be able to grant citizenship to Mr. Traian Basescu and to express once again all our gratitude for all the support we have enjoyed over time and which we continue to enjoy, because President Traian Basescu continues to support the Republic of Moldova with all his soul.
I was able to grant this citizenship now, because only a few weeks ago I received the request signed by Mr. Basescu. I could not legally offer him citizenship as long as I did not have a written request made by President Basescu. The moment this request was made, I followed the legal procedures and, lo and behold, in these days I was able to sign the decree. You cannot grant citizenship to anyone without this person's will. So, the person must confirm their desire to become a citizen through a request they sign. Otherwise, we too could find ourselves citizens of some states, without wanting this to happen.
Traian Basescu previously held Moldovan citizenship, which was originally granted to him in 2016 by the country's former president, Nicolae Timofti.
However, in January 2017, the subsequent pro-Russian president, Igor Dodon, signed a decree stripping Basescu of his Moldovan citizenship. Dodon claimed the status had been granted illegally, alleging that the former Bucharest leader had concealed the fact that he was under criminal investigation in Romania at the time.
Basescu immediately challenged the decision in court, describing the measure as a political abuse, an arbitrary decision, and a flagrant violation of legal procedures.
The legal dispute lasted nearly two years, moving through all levels of the Moldovan judicial system. In November 2018, the Supreme Court of Justice in Chisinau issued a final ruling rejecting the appeal filed by Basescu's lawyers, thereby upholding Dodon's decree.
The former Romanian president's wife, Maria Basescu, has held Moldovan citizenship since 2016.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
