Authorities in Romania have ordered the expulsion of two senior Russian diplomats, the country's Foreign Ministry said.
The decision comes a day after Romania accused Moscow of "interference" and clashed over criticism by Russian secret services of the indictment of far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu.
"The Romanian authorities have decided to declare the military, air and naval attaché of the Russian Federation in Bucharest, as well as his deputy, persona non grata on the territory of Romania," the Romanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Calin Georgescu, the pro-Russian candidate who came out on top in the first round of Romania's presidential election on November 24, but whose victory was annulled by the Constitutional Court, was arrested last Wednesday.
The November 2024 presidential election will be rescheduled for May 2025 after being canceled amid suspicions of Russian interference. Georgescu once again appears as the favorite to win, while another Romanian nationalist party, AUR, whose president George Simion has declared his support for him.