Russia declares 10 Romanian, 1 Bulgarian embassy employees personae non gratae - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. May 13 (Interfax) - Russia is expelling ten employees of the Romanian embassy and one employee of the Bulgarian embassy in Moscow as a countermeasure to identical steps made earlier by the two countries, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"Romanian Ambassador to the Russian Federation Cristian Istrate was invited to the Russian Foreign Ministry on May 13, where he was presented with a ministry note declaring ten employees of the Romanian embassy in Moscow personae non gratae," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

"This measure is a response to an unprovoked decision made by the Romanian side on April 5 to declare ten diplomats of the Russian embassy in Bucharest personae non gratae," it said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also invited Bulgarian Ambassador to Russia Atanas Krastin on Friday to present him "with a ministry note declaring an employee of the Bulgarian embassy in Moscow persona non grata" in response to a Russian diplomat's expulsion from Sofia, the ministry said.