site.btaFormer Romanian Presidential Candidate Calin Georgescu Detained

Former Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu has been detained by the Romanian police and taken for questioning at the Romania’s Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, local media reported on Wednesday.

The news comes after earlier in the day, raids were conducted on 47 individuals close to Georgescu, including Horatiu Potra, who runs security for the former presidential candidate, Digi24 reported. A raid was also carried out on a new suspect in the investigation—a woman believed to have close ties to influential circles in Moscow, according to Digi24.

During Wednesday's raids, prosecutors discovered weapons, ammunition, and large sums of money. In Horatiu Potra's home, prosecutors found EUR 900,000.

The raids are connected to suspicions of actions against the constitutional order, public incitement, the creation of a fascist-type organization, and falsification of data regarding the sources of funding for the electoral campaign.

On November 24, 2024, independent far-right candidate Calin Georgescu surprisingly won the first round of the Romanian presidential elections. On December 6, the Constitutional Court annulled the result due to concerns over foreign interference. Georgescu had declared "zero lei" in campaign expenses, while reports from the Romanian intelligence services showed that his promotion on social media, primarily on TikTok, had cost at least EUR 1 million.