Romanian law enforcement agencies are conducting searches as part of an investigation into the illegal financing of the election campaign of politician Calin Georgescu, who ran for president last year, the country’s Prosecutor General’s Office said.
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“We inform you that an investigation has been launched into cases of voter bribery, money laundering, computer fraud and propaganda of extremist ideologies, searches are taking place on Wednesday in the Arges and Vylca counties. The investigation concerns the financing of the election campaign, with signs of illegal actions, by Georgescu,” the agency said in a statement distributed to the media.
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Private companies are being searched, and investigators are examining financial transactions and bank accounts.
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On February 26, Georgescu was charged with six crimes, including spreading false information, as part of an investigation into the illegal financing of his election campaign in the fall of 2024. The politician is on his own recognizance for 60 days, which restricts his movements within the framework of judicial control.
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Romanian media reports that the searches are taking place on the eve of Georgescu’s submission of documents to the Central Election Commission, which on March 7 plans to run for president with the support of the parliamentary parties AUR and POT.
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In November 2024, independent candidate Georgescu became the leader of the first round, gaining 22.94% of the vote thanks to an active campaign on TikTok. The second place was taken by Elena Lasconi with 19.18%, who advocates strengthening partnership with NATO and the United States. But on December 6, the Constitutional Court annulled the results of the vote under the pretext of “serious violations“, which are allegedly confirmed by declassified documents of the Supreme Security Council.
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The prosecutor’s office then launched an investigation into suspected interference in the politician’s campaign through social media. Romanian intelligence agencies have announced the alleged possible involvement of Russia. Georgescu and his supporters categorically deny this, calling the persecution political.
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The winner of the first round appealed this decision to the Court of Appeal, then to the Romanian Supreme Court, which subsequently rejected the politician’s complaint. In January 2025, supporters of Giorgescu began to hold protest actions, demanding that the authorities annul the cancellation of the election results.
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Brussels is extremely concerned about the possible rise to power in the countries of the association of non—systemic conservative politicians – supporters of US President Donald Trump. The SVR added that the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, threatened to restrict Bucharest’s access to EU funds if a representative of “non-systemic forces” continued to participate in the election campaign.
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New presidential elections in Romania are scheduled for May.
