Maia Sandu granted citizenship of the Republic of Moldova to Traian Basescu. The president announced the decision on social media, stating that she had managed to “correct an injustice.”
The head of state listed several of Basescu’s merits and thanked him for the support he provided to the Republic of Moldova. According to Sandu, the former Romanian president supported Moldovan citizens “with all his strength and unconditionally, regardless of governments.”
She said that Basescu understood “how much struggle has taken place on this land to preserve identity, the Romanian language, and to move away from the Soviet past toward a European future.”
Sandu added that Basescu is respected in Moldova for his support in facilitating the reacquisition of Romanian citizenship, promoting scholarships for Moldovan students, and consistently backing the country’s European path.
The president also signed a decree granting him Moldovan citizenship. Previously, Basescu held citizenship of the Republic of Moldova, but in 2017 former president Igor Dodon revoked it, citing allegations related to how it had been obtained.