Romanian official: Russian deputy PM tried to flout EU ban
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Romania's foreign minister says Russia's deputy prime minister "deliberately" tried to enter Romanian airspace despite knowing he is on a list of officials banned from the European Union.
Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu said Monday in a televised interview: "In my opinion, it was a deliberate act to create problems between Romania and Russia."
Russia's Deputy Premier Dmitry Rogozin abandoned a trip to Moldova Friday after his plane was barred from entering Romanian and Hungarian airspace. Both countries are EU members.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rogozin is one of the most senior Russian officials slapped with an EU visa ban in 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea.
He was traveling on a commercial flight to the Moldovan capital, Chisinau It had to land in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, because it was running out of fuel.