On 31 May, Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Marga recommended freezing diplomatic relations with Syria and expulsion of the Syrian ambassador in Bucharest as a reaction to the "intolerable events" at Houla. However, President Băsescu refrained from acting on the recommendation, and instead approved the ratification of two extradition treaties with the Syrian government which he deemed necessary for bringing convicted businessman Omar Hayssam to Romania. Both Marga and Băsescu noted that breaking off diplomatic relations entails risks for Romanian citizens in Syria, who formed the largest European community in the country.