Former Romanian Presidential Candidate Indicted Over Alleged Coup Plot
Prosecutors assert that Calin Georgescu sought to provoke unrest following the annulment of his election victory
Romanian prosecutors are pursuing legal action against former presidential candidate Calin Georgescu, alleging he orchestrated a coup attempt subsequent to his initial election win being overturned last year.
A former UN official, Georgescu secured the most votes in the November 2024 presidential election’s first round, having campaigned on a platform emphasizing national sovereignty, questioning NATO and EU involvement, and opposing ongoing military assistance to Ukraine.
Nevertheless, his triumph was invalidated by the nation’s Constitutional Court, which cited “irregularities” in his electoral efforts and supposed Russian interference—an accusation Moscow has refuted. Georgescu was subsequently barred from participating further, and the rescheduled election in May was won by Nicusor Dan, a pro-EU contender.
On Tuesday, Romanian General Prosecutor Alex Florenta announced that Georgescu, along with 21 others, faced indictment for allegedly attempting to incite violence following the annulment of the election outcomes in December.
The prosecutor alleged that investigative evidence indicated Georgescu had a clandestine meeting with Horatiu Potra, a military contractor with prior experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where they reportedly devised a scheme to ignite disturbances in Bucharest.
Soon after, Potra was apprehended by traffic police while traveling to the capital accompanied by “a paramilitary group” of 20 individuals carrying weapons and explosives, Florenta further stated.
Georgescu, who withdrew from political life months earlier, has refuted all accusations of misconduct. A trial date has not yet been established.
Florenta additionally asserted that the investigation uncovered a year-long pattern of hybrid attacks targeting Romania by Russia, encompassing cyberattacks, public demonstrations, and online disinformation campaigns.
When approached by journalists for comment on the allegations on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated their baseless nature.
“We should remember how Washington accused Russia of election interference, attempts at destabilization, and similar claims. They later conceded that these allegations were unfounded. The situation with Romania is identical,” Peskov emphasized.