Romania’s pro-Russia presidential election front-runner Călin Georgescu has been taken in by police for questioning, in relation to last November’s controversial canceled vote that he won.
“Călin Georgescu was going to file his new candidacy for the Presidency. About 30 minutes ago, the system stopped him in traffic and he was pulled over for questioning at the Prosecutor General’s Office! Where is democracy, where are the partners who must defend democracy?,” a post on Georgescu’s Facebook account said.
According to Romanian news channel Digi24, prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for him and have begun searching the premises of his close associates, including mercenary leader Horațiu Potra and Georgescu’s bodyguard.
Romanian news channel Antena 3 CNN reported Georgescu is being questioned in connection with the financing of his election campaign last year.
Prosecutors suspect 27 people of acting against Romania’s constitutional order, public incitement, initiation of a fascist organization and false statements regarding the sources of financing an election campaign, but they didn’t name Georgescu or his aides in their statement.
However, shortly after news of the raids broke Wednesday morning, Georgescu claimed that the searches were aimed to block his new presidential candidacy.
Romania was plunged into political chaos late last year when Georgescu, a pro-Russian, far-right firebrand and NATO skeptic, won the first round of the presidential vote and was scheduled to face reformist Elena Lasconi in the second round.
However, the Constitutional Court annulled the first round of the presidential election after an alleged Russian operation to influence the result.
The new election is scheduled to be held on May 4, with a runoff planned two weeks later on May 18.
This story is being updated.
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