PM Dancila attends lighting of Eternal Flame at Yad Vashem official memorial in Jerusalem

Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Wednesday toured the Yad Vashem Memorial, Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, and attended the lighting of the Eternal Flame, laying a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance and signing the guestbook.

According to a Government press statement, the visit represented an opportunity to reiterate Romania's commitment to penalise all forms of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial.

"The Romanian PM mentioned that Romania plans to open a national Jewish history and Holocaust museum, with support from Israel and the Yad Vashem Institute," reads the statement.

On her visit to Israel, Dancila had a meeting with ambassador Colette Avital, who is also secretary general of the World Jewish Restitution Organization and head of the Center Organisation of Holocaust Survivors in Israel.

"Also tackled was the return of Jewish property which was abusively confiscated by the Communist regime, and co-operation inside the working group created with the Romanian Government for the return of Jewish properties and pensions for the Holocaust survivors was noted."

PM Viorica Dancila is paying an official visit to Israel on Wednesday and Thursday, at the invitation extended by her counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.