Romania stalls ex-king's visit

Geneva (Reuter) - Romania has refused to allow former king Michael to enter the country before elections on 27 September, and not before October, his office announced yesterday.

Michael, 70, who was dethroned and banished in 1947 by a Soviet- installed Communist regime, had planned to begin a tour of the country tomorrow, during campaigning for parliamentary and presidential elections, at the invitation of the mayor of Brasov, an Orthodox Church leader and other local officials.

'The planned visit of Romania's former monarch might be a factor of unrest during the electoral campaign,' a government statement said. 'There is no objection, in principle, to the ex-King's right to visit Romania. But there are objections as to the time chosen . . .'