Unlike Europeans, the US has not publicly congratulated Nicușor Dan / during the campaign, the Embassy sent messages on democracy

In recent months, the US have criticized Romania for the cancellation of the elections in 2024, sent messages in which they reminded the importance of democracy and observed the elections in the two tours.

The winner of the presidential elections in Romania Nicușor Dan was publicly congratulated by the European allies and neighbors, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the President of France Emmanuel Macron, the President of the European Commission Von Der Leyen or the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, but not by the United States.

The moments when the president of Romania has been officially congratulated by Washington in the last elections have different, in recent years.

Five years ago, in 2019, Klaus Iohannis was congratulated by the then Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, in Luna after elections, just 24 hours after the ballot box, by a message posted on the X platform.

Congradations to President Iohannis and the Romanian People on a successful Presidential Election. We look forward to strengthange Our strategic partnership flexer and thank our #Nato Ally #Romania For Its Support of International Security Efforts.

– Secretary Pompeo (@secpomao) November 25, 2019

Ten years ago, Iohannis was congratulated by the US through a message of the Embassy in Bucharest on Friday after elections, about five days after the ballot box.

“The US government congratulates the elected President Klaus Iohannis for his election as president, as well as the Romanians, who voted in large numbers, both in the country and abroad, in an exemplary demonstration of civic participation,” said an embassy message.

Currently, the last message of the US Embassy in Bucharest on elections is May 18.

“The teams of the US Embassy were today at several polling stations to observe the second round of the presidential elections in Romania. The free and correct choices are fundamental for a strong democracy,” the message said.

During the first round of the poll, the elections in Romania were observed by an American delegation is led by the vice -president of the Federal Commission for elections, the Republican James E. Trainor.

Messages of the US Embassy

During the campaign, the US Embassy sent several messages on democracy, an echo of Trump administration after the annulment of elections in Romania, concerns explicitly expressed by JD Vance Vice President.

In a post on April 29, a few days before the first round of presidential elections, the US Embassy quoted from JD Vance.

“A democratic mandate cannot be obtained by censoring the opponents or ignoring the electorate, especially when there are essential questions such as who has the right to be part of our society,” said posting from the Embassy Facebook account, which does not mention Romania.

The message accompanied an image with a quote from JD Vance Vice President: “Democracy is based on the sacred principle that the voice of people counts.”

On May 1, the US Embassy posted a new message by JD Vance Vice President on the official Facebook account, in which the American official talks about the right to every citizen.

“To believe in democracy means to recognize that every citizen has the right to opinion.

We should not be afraid of our people, even when they express their opinions that are not in accordance with those of leadership ”, is the message of the US vice -president taken by the US Embassy in Romania.

On Tuesday, the US Embassy officially announced the withdrawal of Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec, which will be temporarily replaced by the deputy head of the mission, Michael Dickerson, a career diplomat who has worked in missions in Baku, Tbilisi, Vilnius, Budapest and Moscow, according to the US Embassy.

The dissatisfaction of the Trump administration

JD Vance criticized Romania on the occasion of the speech held at the Munich Security Conference, on February 14, when he said that our country “directly canceled the results of the presidential elections based on the weak suspicions of an information agency and the enormous pressure from the continental neighbors.”

“For years, we are told that everything we finance and support is in the name of our common democratic values, everything, from our policy towards Ukraine to digital censorship, is presented as a defense of democracy. But when we see European courts canceling elections and senior officials who threaten to cancel others,” Vice President Vance at that time.

Vance launched new criticisms of the Romanian authorities in February, in the Conference of American Conservatives CPAC, and resumed reproaches to Europeans, specifically speaking about Germany and Romania.

The American official emphasized the importance of “common values” in the vision of the Trump administration and reproached the Romanian authorities, again, the decision to cancel last year's presidential elections.

Bloomberg wrote before the elections that, since US Vice -President JD Vance criticized Romania, the officials from Bucharest have tried to regain the White House on their side.

But the situation inside the American administration “remains unpredictable”, Bloomberg wrote at the end of April, given that neither Trump nor his vice president have made any comment on the Romanian elections in the last weeks.

Bloomberg, however, quoted the spokesman of the National Security Council, Brian Hughes, who said that the American administration “continues to analyze the situation” and “remains deeply disturbed” by the events that determined the Constitutional Court to cancel the first tour of the November presidential vote.

“We will work to ensure that they (no-the cancellation of the elections) are not repeated,” Hughes said in an answer to questions, notes Bloomberg.

Canceling of November elections in Romania, criterion for exclusion from Visa Waiver

The US concern regarding the cancellation of the November elections was also highlighted by an internal note of the National Security Council, obtained by the Politico publication, which revealed that this topic was taken into account in the decision to exclude Romania from the Visa Waiver program.

The memorandum that includes a “summary of conclusions” from the meeting of the Commission for the Coordination of NSC policies on March 14 shows that there have been some internal dissensions on this measure, writes Politico.

The US Embassy in Bucharest said that “the elimination of Romanian designation could lead to deterioration of the US image,” according to the document.

But the Commission, chaired by the senior director of NSC for Europe and Eurasia, Andrew Peek, said it is important to ensure that Romania “supports the democratic process and is carrying out free, correct and transparent choices.”

“Protecting the integrity of our immigration and visa system is essential for ensuring our national security,” said a white (National Security Daily-Political Newsletter).

“There are strict requirements to benefit from the Visa Waiver program, which it was not clear if Romania actually met when the Biden administration hastened in its last days. Separately, we are worried about antidemocratic actions, including legal ones against certain points of view.”