Former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase said that he attended the military parade in Beijing as a private individual and did not represent the current political leadership of Romania, also mentioning that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs „did not understand that the event did not take place in Moscow.”

„At today’s event, I participated in my capacity as a former dignitary and, therefore, as a private person. I had no intention of representing the current political leadership. I believe the Foreign Ministry misunderstood: the event took place in Beijing, not Moscow. No matter how great my influence might be in China, I don’t think I can decide whom President Xi invites to his country, just as I can’t decide whom President Trump invites to Alaska. One day I will have to explain, in more detail, the importance of memory in foreign policy,” Nastase wrote on his blog.

He pointed out that he is currently in Beijing as a former high-ranking official, attending a major event organised to commemorate 80 years since China’s victory over Japan and fascism in the Second World War.

Foreign Minister Oana Toiu on Wednesday reacted to the recent group photo showing former Romanian Prime Ministers Adrian Nastase and Viorica Dancila alongside the presidents of China and Russia, saying that Romania is not and cannot be represented by politicians who proudly pose next to Putin.

‘At home, they speak of patriotism, but a patriot would not fawn over an aggressor, certainly not just days after a Russian drone attacked a vessel only a few hundred metres from our border on the Danube, nor weeks after Russia bombed Ukrainian communities where Romanian is spoken,’ Oana Toiu said.

The Foreign minister said that the two former prime ministers went to Beijing in a private capacity, nonetheless she believes the invitation was also based on their former roles and indicates an intention to show influence over Romania.

AGERPRES