Romania expels two Russian diplomats after ‘interference’ claim

BUCHAREST - Romania on March 5 ordered two Russian diplomats expelled, after slamming Russian “interference” and criticism of an indictment of far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu.

Russia’s military attache and his deputy in Bucharest were declared “personae non gratae” by foreign ministry of Romania, which is a Nato member country.

It said the two carried out activities contravening the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, without giving details.

Local media reported that the deputy attache’s name appeared in an investigation into Georgescu.

Allegedly, one of Georgescu’s associates telephoned the Russian embassy, seeking to contact the deputy.

Georgescu – who denies any links to Moscow – shot to prominence almost overnight to unexpectedly win the first round of

a presidential election in November 2024.

Romania’s constitutional court

annulled the election

just before the second round was to be held in December, after claims of Russian meddling and a “massive” social media promotion of Georgescu.

Last week,

prosecutors indicted Georgescu

on numerous charges, including making “false statements” over his campaign financing.

Russian secret services claimed the charges against Georgescu were “supported by the EU leadership”, Romanian media reported.

The Romanian foreign ministry on March 4 called the Russian allegations “ridiculous and completely unfounded”.

It said they were “part of a series of hybrid actions carried out by the Russian Federation to undermine democracy in Romania”.

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also weighed in with a Facebook post on March 4 saying that Russia’s secret service “taking a position on decisions of the Romanian authorities” was “intolerable”.

Georgescu has called the election annulment a “formalised coup d’etat”. Tens of thousands have protested against the vote being scrapped. AFP