Romania Voids Presidential Election Following Allegations of Russian Interference

Bucharest (Eurotoday) – Romanian police searched houses, a day after the top court annulled the presidential vote in an unprecedented development following allegations of Russian interference in favour of the far-right frontrunner.

Romania’s top court’s shock move, just before the presidential vote, opens the way for a new electoral process to begin from scratch in the EU and NATO member state connecting war-torn Ukraine.  A new government to be assembled after last weekend’s legislative elections that were succeeded by the ruling Social Democrats but saw big far-right gains will develop a new presidential election date.

The nullification comes after a spate of intelligence documents declassified by the presidency detailed allegations against far-right presidential frontrunner Calin Georgescu and Russia, including “massive” social media advertising and cyberattacks.

What role does Russian interference play in the annulment?

Police scoured three houses in Brasov city in central Romania as part of the inquiry “in association with crimes of voter corruption, money laundering, computer forgery,” stated a statement from the prosecutor’s office. It expressed the swoop targeted a person engaged in the “illegal financing of the electoral campaign of a candidate for the presidency of Romania, through the use of sums of money,” without calling Georgescu.

The investigations also involve the violation of the law on the prohibition of organisations and signs of a fascist, racist or xenophobic nature, the statement added. The documents drawn up for a top security council session after the first round of voting “announced an aggressive promotional movement, in violation of electoral legislation, and an exploitation of algorithms to increase the popularity of Calin Georgescu at an accelerated pace”.

Another declassified document stated Romania was a “target for aggressive Russian hybrid actions”, including cyberattacks. More than 85,000 cyberattacks — including “on election day” — were recognised, according to Romanian authorities.