Romania’s ambassador to the United States, Andrei Muraru, criticizes the statements made by George Simion, the leader of AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romania) and candidate in the second round of the presidential elections, regarding the exclusion of Romania from the Visa Waiver programme, which allows visa-free travel to the US.

„Mr. Simion’s gesture of disdaining his own nation will remain, including in the eyes of our American partners, as proof of servility, weakness and inability to play the card of the dignity of his own people,” reads a press release sent to AGERPRES by Andrei Muraru on Monday.

According to the Romanian ambassador to the US, „Mr. Simion’s satisfaction with this decision indicates the undisguised contempt for Romania’s national interest and the rights of Romanian citizens.”

„Mr. Simion’s statement regarding the alleged manipulation of the refusal rate (a mandatory condition for entering the American visa waiver programme) by the Romanian authorities is irresponsible, scandalous and false,” Muraru added.

„America values patriotism and appreciates those who represent their country with dignity,” he concluded.

In a text published on his website on May 10, George Simion wrote that he thanked the United States „for sending a clear message: Romania is not currently a democratic state, worthy of Visa Waiver, as a result of 35 years of corruption and the annulment of elections that led Romania to the status of the only EU member state classified as a ‘hybrid regime’, one step away from ‘junk’.”

The administration of US President Donald Trump announced on May 2 that it was withdrawing Romania from the Visa Waiver programme that allows visa-free travel to the United States.

On January 9, the administration of then-President Joe Biden, at the end of his term, had announced that it was admitting Romania to the programme, stating that it had met strict security requirements, including the conclusion of partnerships with US law enforcement authorities for the exchange of information on terrorism and serious crimes.

AGERPRES