Authorities in Kishinev decided to expel two Romanian citizens, priests within the Moldova metropolitan church, Rador news agency informs. One of the reasons invoked was the breaking of the residential regime on Moldovan territory. The priests, serving in two villages within the Kakhul county, were accused of not having a work permit issued by local authorities.
Father Iulian Budescu has been the vicar f the local church in the Manta village since 2001. Budescu declared for NewsIn that he was informed by the police that he has ten days to leave the country and that he is banned from entering Moldova for the following three years. In case he refuses to obey the decision, Budescu will be expelled by force. The priest says the intends to appeal the decision in court.
The other vicar was prevented from entering Moldova on Saturday, as he returned from Romania.
The decision to expel the priests comes only a couple of weeks after authorities in Kishinev declared to Romanian diplomats as persona non grata.
