Russia has described Romania's presidential election as "strange" and criticized the authorities' decision to disqualify pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu, who was leading the race last year, Reuters reported, quoted by News.bg.
In the rerun elections held yesterday, pro-European centrist Nikusor Dan defeated his far-right nationalist rival. The vote was a repeat of the annulled vote in 2024, when the favorite Georgescu was disqualified due to - according to Romanian authorities - an undeclared Russian influence campaign in his support.
“The election was, to put it mildly, strange“, commented Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “We know the story of the candidate who had the best chance of winning. Without even being given an explanation, he was forcibly removed from the race.“
Russia has repeatedly denied any role in Georgesescu's campaign and claims that the Romanian authorities' actions against him are politically motivated.
Dan's victory was welcomed as a relief in Brussels, where there is growing concern that public discontent over economic hardship and migration pressures could lead to a rise in far-right sentiment and undermine European unity on Russia policy.
Meanwhile, Russian entrepreneur and founder of the Telegram app, Pavel Durov, said he was pressured by French intelligence services to limit support for nationalist candidate Gheorghe Simion, who has promised to cut military aid to Ukraine.
Regarding Durov's accusations, Peskov said: “The fact that European countries like France, Britain and Germany interfering in the internal affairs of other countries is nothing new.“
French foreign intelligence has dismissed Durov's accusations. He is currently under investigation in France on suspicion of using Telegram for purposes related to organized crime and has been banned from leaving the country.