Romanian diplomatic boycott at the OSCE
Head of Diplomacy Luminița Odobescu left the meeting in sign of protest against the presence of sergei lavrov
In an act of protest against the presence of russian foreign minister sergei lavrov at the OSCE meeting in Skopje, Romanian Head of Diplomacy Luminița Odobescu left the event. Romania joins other European countries such as Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic states in a diplomatic boycott denouncing the invitation to the russian representative, despite continuing tensions in Ukraine and sanctions imposed on russia by the West.
The protest underlines Romania's disagreement with russia's policy and its determination not to accept the presence of a russian official in the context of the conflict in Ukraine. This decision is expected to generate discussion and reactions from other OSCE states, reflecting geopolitical tensions in the region, reports Digi24.
The day before, Foreign Minister Luminița Odobescu attended the informal dinner of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) states in Skopje. Held on the margins of the Ministerial Council organized by the Chairmanship-in-Office of Northern Macedonia, this meeting took place on 29 November 2023, with the main theme focusing on "russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the need for a functional Organization in a time of conflict".
In his speech, the Foreign Minister highlighted the difficulties faced by the OSCE in the face of russia's unjustified military aggression against Ukraine. Luminița Odobescu reiterated Romania's solidarity with the Ukrainian people, highlighting the support given to Ukraine in various fields.
The Romanian official also highlighted the negative impact of the russian aggression on the Republic of Moldova, highlighting the various pressures from russia and the difficult socio-economic consequences faced by the neighboring state.
Discussions also included issues related to russia's and belarus' opposition to Estonia taking over the OSCE chairmanship in 2024, as well as the extension of the mandates of key positions in the Organization.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed support for the Republic of Malta in taking over the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office in 2024 and called for the continuity of the OSCE Secretary General and the coordinators of the OSCE representative institutions.
In addition to actively participating in the discussions, Minister Luminița Odobescu met with senior OSCE officials such as Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Principality of Andorra Imma Tor Faus. These meetings contributed to strengthening diplomatic relations and exchanging views on regional and global developments.