Upvote:1
This site appears to state that you can use a short stay visa issued by Bulgaria, Cyprus or Croatia to enter Romania https://www.mae.ro/en/node/2040
Upvote:3
Per TIMATIC, the database used by airlines:
Visa required, except for Passengers with a C visa issued by Bulgaria, Croatia or Cyprus valid for the period of intended stay. They are visa exempt for a maximum stay of 90 days [within a 180-day period]
So yes, you can enter Romania with a Cypriot visa
However, the Cypriot embassy will most likely require proof of a proper visit (so a short connection will not do), and even if they don't, if you apply for a new Cypriot visa and your passport doesn't have passport stamps indicating a proper visit to Cyprus, but does have stamps indicating a proper visit to Romania, they'll conclude visa fraud on your part.
So I don't recommend this; rather, bite the sour apple and get the Romanian visa through the legal channels. Try talking to the embassy and explaining your situation.