AGERPRES special correspondent Florin Stefan, reports: The MEPs asked in unison on Thursday morning, during an emotional debate in the plenary session of the European Parliament, that Russia return Romania’s treasure in full and that the EU executive and other competent European institutions do everything possible to support this effort.

The debate, attended by an overwhelming majority of Romanian MEPs, was the first time the issue of Romania’s treasury illegally appropriated by Russia was raised in the European Parliament.

The European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, stated in her introductory speech that she was speaking on behalf of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.

The European Union is ready to support the Romanian authorities in the full recovery of the treasure if they request it, emphasized Elisa Ferreira. However, she drew attention to the fact that „Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine led to the suspension of cooperation mechanisms” with Moscow.

MEP Eugen Tomac thanked the MEPs for the support given to the organization of the debate and the adoption of a resolution and especially to former president of Romania, MEP Traian Basescu for coordinating the negotiations on Wednesday „to have a document of historical value in the EP”.

„Part of the cultural and religious goods was returned during the Soviet period, but Romania’s gold is still seized in Russia today, over 91.5 tons of gold,” he recalled.

Rovana Plumb, who spoke on behalf of the S&D group in the EP, said that the issue of Romania’s treasure illegally retained by Russia represents „a dispute not very well known at the international level”.

„Bringing the subject to the plenary session of the EP is a political gesture that is a continuation of a century of constant efforts to repair an injustice. The USSR and then Russia enjoyed and continues to enjoy the benefits generated by these values. But who does Moscow’s brutal behavior still surprise you today?” Rovana Plumb asked.

For his part, Vlad-Marius Botos, from the Renew group, said during the debate that „Romanians have the right to receive back their own treasure. It is a unique case in the world and must be resolved immediately by the immediate return of the entire treasure”.

Cristian Terhes, from the group of European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), was the first to speak on the issue of the treasury about „compensations and daily interest”.

„The transfer of this treasure was made on the basis of some inventory documents, signed including by the French ambassador in Saint-Petersburg, as a witness,” he recalled, among others.

MEP Traian Basescu, told the European commissioner Elisa Ferreia that he had the feeling that she got the subject wrong, as she spoke more about the war in Ukraine than about the treasure of Romania illegally appropriated by Russia.

„In the last 100 years, Russia widowed the Romanians of three dear things, and they are: freedom (…), the treasure of Romania (…) and the land of Bessarabia, torn from the body of Romania by the criminal Ribbentrop-Molotov pact”, said MEP Basescu.

MEP Dacian Ciolos, from the Renew group, said that „the debate shows very clearly what historical traumas Romanian citizens have experienced”.

The Renew group’s MEP Vlad Gheorghe estimated that the value of the gold appropriated by Russia would currently be 5 billion euros.

MEP Daniel Buda, from the EPP group, said that „Romania’s treasury represents an open wound, a painful scar of the past”.

For her part, S&D MEP Maria Grapini said that Thursday’s EP resolution is a sign that Romania needs solidarity. She reproached Elisa Ferreia for stating in her speech the fact that the problem of Romania’s treasury is a bilateral matter with Russia.

Elisa Ferreira finally stated that the debate in the EP showed the pattern of violation of the law by Russia.

„The EU remains open to supporting Romania in the matter of the treasury, but at this moment the dialogue and cooperation mechanisms are suspended. We are ready to resume the subject in the future, when this will be possible,” she assured.

Source: AGERPRES