Moldovan President Maia Sandu has restored the Moldovan citizenship of former Romanian President Traian Băsescu, which he was stripped of in 2017. This was reported by NewsMaker, according to UNN.
Details
By her decree, President Maia Sandu restored the Moldovan citizenship of former Romanian President Traian Băsescu, who was stripped of it in 2017 by PSRM party leader Igor Dodon upon becoming president.
Sandu thanked Băsescu for his "contribution to correcting historical injustice and facilitating the restoration of Romanian citizenship, promoting scholarships for our youth, and unwavering support for Moldova."
"Mr. Băsescu, now you are not only our brother but also our citizen. We look forward to seeing you at home," the Moldovan President added.
Băsescu, in turn, thanked Sandu for this decision.
"I assure you that I remain committed to the cause of Moldova's integration into the EU, as well as the cause of reuniting the country and the Romanian people," Băsescu wrote on social media.
Addition
Traian Băsescu and his wife were granted Moldovan citizenship in November 2016 by a decree of then-Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti. However, a year later, election winner Igor Dodon stripped the former Romanian president of his Moldovan citizenship. Băsescu challenged Dodon's decree in court, and subsequently in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ). In November 2018, the SCJ rejected Băsescu's appeal for the restoration of citizenship.