Romania asks Russia to explain Deputy PM's remarks on microblog

Romania's Foreign Ministry on Saturday called on Russian authorities to publicly state whether the statements by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin make up Russia's official position of on Romania. "The Foreign Ministry noted with surprise what Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin posted today, May 10, 2014, on his microblog, according to which 'Romania has closed its air space for my plane, upon the U.S. request, Ukraine doesn't allow me to pass through again. Next time I'll fly on board TU-160,'" stated the ministry in a press release. "The Foreign Ministry believes the threat to use a strategic Russian fighter jet by a Russian deputy prime minister is a very serious declaration in the current regional context," the ministry stressed in the release. Rogozin, also Putin's envoy for Transnistrian conflict, participated Friday at the events of Victory Day in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria, media reports said. His journey took place despite of calls from Moldovan authorities to cancel such a trip to the so-called separatist region. On Thursday, Rogozin entered Moldova by making a detour through Bulgaria and Romania as the Ukraine did not allow his plane to pass the country's airspace. According to the Romania's Foreign Ministry release, Rogozin's name is included in the list of individuals sanctioned by the European Union after the Ukraine crisis. The Foreign Ministry also pointed out that Romania unequivocally supported and continues to fully support the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia.