Romania's right to reclaim 1916 gold reserves from Russia asserted

According to Mugur Isarescu, the President of the National Bank of Romania, Romania holds a fully justified right to reclaim the gold exported to Russia in 1916. Isarescu has announced an international information campaign pertaining to the Romanian gold and valuables exported to Moscow 107 years ago.

This issue relates to this Romanian gold and other valuables that were evacuated to then allied Russia during World War I, in response to the threat of occupation by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Bulgaria. In 1916 and 1917, gold reserves, jewels, regalia, works of art, along with archives and property of several institutions were transported to Russia in two trains. However, to this day, the "Romanian treasure" remains unrecovered.

"We have proposed the organization of several events to affirm, especially on the international stage, that Romania holds a wholly justified right, from both a historical and legal perspective, to reclaim the gold reserves evacuated in 1916-1917 to Moscow," Isarescu stated on Monday.

This December marks the 107th anniversary since the evacuation of Romanian treasures to Moscow. Since 1991, the National Bank of Romania has consistently employed a strategy to raise awareness among both the local and international communities about the issue of the treasure sent to Moscow, which was then commandeered by the Soviet Union, said the head of the central bank, as quoted by Digi24.ro service.

He also announced that, as part of the information campaign, the issue of the Romanian treasury will also be presented in European Parliament among other places. However, as he explained, the issue is relatively unknown outside of Romania.

The Romanian treasure was deposited in Moscow and guaranteed by tsarist Russia, with agreements stating it would be returned upon the owner's request. In 1917, the Bolshevik revolution broke out in Russia. Moscow, despite the political transformations, has not returned the Romanian gold (weighing in total approximately 201,333 pounds). Only a part of the exported assets was returned to Romania as part of partial restitution in the years 1935 and 1956.

As stated by Isarescu, Moscow has not fulfilled its obligations despite efforts from the Romanian side. Attempts to enforce legal regulations, including those through the commission formed in 2003, have not been successful.