Romania Bars Chișinău Mayor Ion Ceban From Schengen for Five Years

Romania has barred Ion Ceban, the mayor of Chișinău and leader of Moldova’s Movement Alternative Nationale, from entering the country and the entire Schengen Area for five years. The Romanian Foreign Ministry confirmed the measure on 9 July, saying the politician is considered a risk to national security. The order covers two other Moldovan citizens as well. Officials did not disclose the evidence underpinning the designation, and Ceban’s office has yet to respond. Romanian broadcaster Digi24 reported that border-police procedures were triggered after formal notices circulated among security agencies. Ceban, once a vocal member of Moldova’s pro-Russian Socialist camp, has recently rebranded himself as pro-European. A 2022 U.S. sanctions document nonetheless listed his party among entities allegedly used by Russian operatives to influence Moldovan politics. Romanian media also noted Ceban’s past meetings with former Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, underscoring the broader political sensitivity surrounding the ban.