EU State's Presidential Frontrunner Labeled 'Pro-Russian' Receives Funding from Pro-Western Party, Reports Media
Calin Georgescu’s unexpected victory in the first round of Romania's elections was annulled because of “irregularities” and claims of interference from Moscow. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Calin Georgescu’s unexpected first-round victory in Romania's presidential election has been annulled due to alleged "irregularities."
An investigation conducted by Romanian authorities has revealed that the social media campaign that aided Georgescu's surprise win was not financed by Russia, as some had claimed, but by the pro-Western National Liberal Party (PNL), according to the media outlet Snoop.
Georgescu, who is critical of NATO and the EU and opposes sending aid to Ukraine, garnered 22.94% of the votes, surpassing other liberal leftist and democratic candidates.
In response, Romania’s Constitutional Court invalidated the election results and announced that the voting process would have to be repeated at a later date. The court cited declassified intelligence documents that allegedly uncovered irregularities concerning Georgescu's campaign.
The investigation suggested that his candidacy was improperly amplified online, particularly on TikTok, by paid influencers and extremist right-wing factions. There were also claims that his campaign possibly received Russian interference, a charge that Moscow characterized as “absolutely groundless.”
Snoop reported that Romania's tax authorities traced the financial backing of the campaign promoting Georgescu on TikTok, concluding it had been financed by the PNL and managed by Kensington Communication—a firm specializing in political marketing and online campaigns.
The materials distributed to influencers stressed the need for “a responsible attitude and a mature choice” among voters to help maintain Romania's “democratic path.” Influencers reportedly received a script to highlight the traits of an ideal president without naming anyone, although some added comments revealing Georgescu's identity.
“It is a shock to everyone that the public money that taxpayers had provided to the PNL was used to promote another candidate,” one investigator remarked.
Kensington Communication responded by alleging that its campaign had been “hijacked” or “cloned,” and announced plans to file a criminal complaint.
This disclosure emerged on Friday, just before Romanian President Klaus Iohannis' term was set to expire, and before the supreme court was scheduled to hear Georgescu’s case. Notably, Iohannis had previously resisted stepping down, referencing the country's laws.
Georgescu, labeled “pro-Russian” by critics, has filed a lawsuit with the supreme court contesting the annulment. His attorney characterized the situation as “a flagrant violation of the constitution” and “a coup d’état,” with the first hearing planned for December 23.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
An investigation conducted by Romanian authorities has revealed that the social media campaign that aided Georgescu's surprise win was not financed by Russia, as some had claimed, but by the pro-Western National Liberal Party (PNL), according to the media outlet Snoop.
Georgescu, who is critical of NATO and the EU and opposes sending aid to Ukraine, garnered 22.94% of the votes, surpassing other liberal leftist and democratic candidates.
In response, Romania’s Constitutional Court invalidated the election results and announced that the voting process would have to be repeated at a later date. The court cited declassified intelligence documents that allegedly uncovered irregularities concerning Georgescu's campaign.
The investigation suggested that his candidacy was improperly amplified online, particularly on TikTok, by paid influencers and extremist right-wing factions. There were also claims that his campaign possibly received Russian interference, a charge that Moscow characterized as “absolutely groundless.”
Snoop reported that Romania's tax authorities traced the financial backing of the campaign promoting Georgescu on TikTok, concluding it had been financed by the PNL and managed by Kensington Communication—a firm specializing in political marketing and online campaigns.
The materials distributed to influencers stressed the need for “a responsible attitude and a mature choice” among voters to help maintain Romania's “democratic path.” Influencers reportedly received a script to highlight the traits of an ideal president without naming anyone, although some added comments revealing Georgescu's identity.
“It is a shock to everyone that the public money that taxpayers had provided to the PNL was used to promote another candidate,” one investigator remarked.
Kensington Communication responded by alleging that its campaign had been “hijacked” or “cloned,” and announced plans to file a criminal complaint.
This disclosure emerged on Friday, just before Romanian President Klaus Iohannis' term was set to expire, and before the supreme court was scheduled to hear Georgescu’s case. Notably, Iohannis had previously resisted stepping down, referencing the country's laws.
Georgescu, labeled “pro-Russian” by critics, has filed a lawsuit with the supreme court contesting the annulment. His attorney characterized the situation as “a flagrant violation of the constitution” and “a coup d’état,” with the first hearing planned for December 23.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
