Romania, pro-Russian candidate Georgescu detained by police

Brussels – Romania’s ultranationalist presidential candidate, Calin Georgescu, was stopped as he drove to Bucharest to present his new presidential bid.

The confirmation comes from Georgescu’s campaign team, who, in a post on its Facebook profile, wrote: “The system stopped him in traffic for questioning in the attorney general’s office. Where is democracy? Where are the partners who are supposed to defend democracy?” Romania experienced a deep political crisis last December (2024) after the Constitutional Court invalidated the results of the first round of presidential elections following an alleged Russian operation to influence the outcome. The election round was given to Georgescu as the winner, against whom an arrest warrant was issued today (Feb. 26), as the Romanian news channel Digi24 reported. Several searches were also ordered and executed, especially at the homes of his bodyguard and close associates.

As for the accusations, these would relate to the financing of his election campaign last year: the Antena 3 CNN news channel reports that Călin Georgescu is accused of “spreading false information having potential destabilising effects on national security, an act provided for and punished by Art. 404 of the Criminal Code.” Prosecutors also suspected 27 people of acting against the Romanian constitutional order, public incitement, starting a fascist organization, and making false statements about sources of campaign financing. Still, their statement did not include Georgescu’s name or those of his associates.

However, shortly after news of the searches spread, Georgescu published a Facebook post talking about sabotage: “They are trying to invent evidence to justify stealing the elections and doing everything to block my new presidential candidacy.” The candidate concluded his social invective harshly: “We live in communism; there is nothing free or legal in what is happening. I will not give up.” New elections are expected on May 4, with a runoff scheduled for May 18.