Russia on Thursday denied accusations of interference in the presidential election in Romania, three days before the second round in this EU and NATO member country which could be won by a far-right candidate opposed to the European aid for Ukraine. “We firmly reject all hostile attacks, which we consider to be completely unfounded”indicated the spokesperson for Russian diplomacy, Maria Zakharova, in a press release, denouncing “increasingly absurd accusations” against Moscow.
Romanian authorities on Wednesday declassified documents detailing alleged destabilization maneuvers, which are reminiscent of techniques used by Russia. In question, the social network TikTok, on which the far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, who came first in the first round, campaigned, told AFP “have no evidence that a coordinated campaign has taken place on the platform to date”. Maria Zakharova denounced a climate “unprecedented anti-Russian hysteria”calling on the Romanian authorities to “stop inflating the +Russian threat+ in order to manipulate public opinion”.
A pro-Russian candidate in the second round
The second round of the presidential vote in Romania is being held on Sunday, a vote seen by observers as crucial for the future of this country of nearly 20 million inhabitants bordering Ukraine, which has been facing an onslaught since 2022. on a large Russian scale. Far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, 62, took everyone by surprise by finishing first in the first round. Accustomed to nationalist and mystical speeches, he places the “partnership” with the United States at the top of its priorities.
Although he has shown his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past, Calin Georgescu now avoids answering questions about his vision of the master of the Kremlin, who has become a pariah in the West since 2022. Calin Georgescu, critic of the EU and NATO, is opposed to aid to Ukraine and advocates above all the search for “peace”. Faced with these challenges, the United States has already warned Romania against “serious negative consequences” of its potential distance from the West while Bucharest has become an essential pillar of NATO, housing on its soil more than 5,000 soldiers and the Alliance’s anti-missile system.
Belgium
