Romanian Senator to open office in Chisinau

Romanian Senator Viorel Badea, who is responsible for ties with Romanian citizens residing in Moldova, said during a press conference today that he will be opening up an office in Chisinau.

Mr. Badea said the office would help him deal with three main problems: the recovery of Romanian citizenship by Moldovan citizens, the facilitation of the ability of Romanian citizens residing in Moldova to vote in elections, and the education of young Romanians living in Moldova.

The notion of "recovery" of Moldovan citizenship has been a controversial issue in Moldova. Romanian authorities and pro-Romanian groups in Moldova have said that Romanian citizenship was forcefully taken away from people residing in Moldova after the country became part of the Soviet Union after World War II.

Most of what is today the Republic of Moldova, along with parts of Ukraine, was part of Romania between the two world wars.

Communist authorities have harshly criticized the Romanian government's attempts to make getting a Romanian passport easier.

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