As the pro-Russian mayor Ion Ceban managed to go to Rome, although he has a ban on the Schengen countries. The explanations of the authorities
Ion Ceban, the mayor of Chisinau Photo: Elena Covalenco / AFP / Profimedia
The mayor of Chisinau, who has a prohibition for 5 years to enter Romania and any state in the Schengen area, is in Italy, and the Bucharest authorities explain how it was possible to enter this country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) said on Monday that Ion Ceban is notified by Romania with valid access prohibition throughout the Schengen area.
With exceptional title, according to the provisions of the Schengen Regulation, I was granted by Italy a limited visa: a single entry, valid only for Italy and only until September 3 to participate in a conference for mayors under the aegis of UNESCO, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The visa with limited territorial validity (VTL), regulated by the Schengen visa code, is valid exclusively in a state that gives its express agreement. The holder of such a visa does not have the right to circulate freely in the rest of the Schengen area, but only on the territory of the issuing state.
On July 9, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bucharest confirmed that the mayor of Chisinau, Ion Ceban, together with two other citizens of the Republic of Moldova, received prohibition to enter Romania, the measure being valid for a period of five years, both on the territory of Romania and in the Schengen area. The other two Moldovan citizens who have a prohibition are the journalist Natalia Morari and the former Moldovan prime minister Vasile Tarlev.
Despite the prohibition applied, on Sunday, Ion Ceban announced, through a video message posted on Facebook, that he is in Rome, Italy, Schengen Member State: “I am in Italy. Today I arrived in Rome and I have a few days full of activities, meetings, events, discussions that we will inform additionally”, says Ion Ceban in a video, “
Video Nicușor Dan, statements in Chisinau about the mayor Pro-Rus Ion Ceban: Since I was mayor I was advised not to receive him / Ceban, who has a prohibition to enter Romania and Schengen, is in Rome
