Almost two months after the resolution adopted by the European Parliament regarding the full restitution of Romania’s treasure, illegally confiscated by Russia during the First World War, the Romanian authorities say they will continue efforts to recover the gold reserves, through diplomatic actions and meetings information.
In fact, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) has the responsibility to take steps and collaborate with the European institutions to implement the resolution mentioned above. According to the lawyer Cristina Tomescu, specialized in international law, member of the Brussels Bar, the resolution adopted by the European Parliament, at the initiative of MEP Eugen Tomac, has no legal value, in the sense of forcing Russia in any way to offer the “gold” to Romania .
“This resolution provides the opportunity to adopt strategies, to initiate discussions, negotiations with the Russian side, however, the act itself does not mean that the authorities of the Russian Federation have a deadline for the return of the allegedly confiscated tons of gold. Russia is a country at war, negotiations are not easy. As far as sanctions, deadlines in this sense, there is more, but it is important that this plan was adopted, that the European Commission was entrusted to act on behalf of Romania”, said lawyer Cristina Tomescu, for ziare.com.
Until a “sanctions” plan is established for Romania’s treasury monopoly, European diplomats will debate on Wednesday, May 8, the possibility that Russia’s funds in Europe, “frozen” due to the war declared against Ukraine, will be used by the leaders in Kiev to purchase of armament.
How much is left of Romania’s gold sent to Moscow. Head of the NBR: “91.5 tons of fine gold”
At this moment, Russia does not recognize that it has a “debt” towards Romania regarding the return of the gold to our state. Therefore, it is clearly impossible to say how much gold Romania could recover from Russia, given that there are historical documents that show that the Russians used “foreign” gold as early as 1921, in the “Bolshevik era” . Officially, the governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isărescu, talks about 91.5 tons of fine gold that Romania must recover from Russia.
“I will not repeat here when, how and why our gold hoard, weighing 91.5 tons of fine gold, went to Moscow, but I would like to present to you the last steps we have taken to recover it, after better for a century in which the National Bank of Romania never gave up on the recovery of this wealth, which it entrusted with legal documents to the Russian Empire and for which it received government guarantees regarding transport, storage and restitution. Two papers were distributed to them, in English, which refer to the problem of the BNR treasure, respectively: The Romanian National Bank Treasure Taken To Moscow and Never Returned-With a selection of documents, author Cristian Păunescu, Cuvânt pèche, academician Mugur Isărescu, and Romania’s Treasury and its Destiny. Arguments from the Russian Archives, author Ilie Schipor. Previously, the work of Mr. Councilor Cristian Păunescu was transmitted to the most important universities and libraries in Europe, the United States of America and Canada”, concluded Mugur IsărescU”, mentioned, recently, the governor of the BNR, Mugur Isărescu.
The European Commission can act on behalf of Romania. What, exactly, does the resolution regarding the restitution of Romania’s treasure provide
According to the Resolution adopted by a majority of votes by the European Parliament, the European Commission can act on behalf of the country by mediating, communicating and even tracking the assets suspected to be part of Romania’s treasure confiscated by Russia, the Romanian MEPs mentioned.
The gold reserve of the National Bank of Romania, consisting of 91.5 tons of fine gold (in coins and bars), Queen Maria’s jewels and other important historical and cultural values, were shipped to Russia in two stages, in December 1916 and in August 1917.
Representatives of the Romanian and Russian governments signed protocols stating that the gold belonged to the National Bank of Romania. It was being sent to Moscow for safekeeping and was under the guarantee of the Imperial Russian Government regarding the security of transport, storage and will return to Romania.
After the shipment arrived in Moscow, representatives of the National Bank of Romania and the State Bank of Russia (Moscow branch) made a complete inventory of the gold, which was signed and stamped by both parties.
How Romania’s treasury was confiscated
Historical data show that the Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917 meant the “loss” of the Romanian treasury. Romania’s diplomatic representative was arrested and the treasury of the National Bank of Romania and Romania’s cultural and historical valuables that had been transferred to Moscow were confiscated.
Thus, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, a former Russian revolutionary who led the Bolshevik party, the first prime minister of the Soviet Union and the founder of the ideology known as Leninism, mentioned that “the gold fund of Romania held in Moscow is intangible for the Romanian oligarchy” and that assumed “full responsibility for the preservation of the fund and its return to the Romanian people”, states the National Bank of Romania in the information materials regarding Romania’s treasure, confiscated by Russia.
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