The Romanian ultranationalist politician was picked up by police for questioning regarding false funding sources and false information in his last campaign, sources say.
Romanian ultranationalist politician and 2024 presidential election candidate Călin Georgescu was picked up by police officers from a traffic stop on Wednesday and taken to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
According to Euronews Romania sources, the prosecutors’ are to question Georgescu as part of an investigation reportedly looking into “zero expenses” declared by Georgescu for last year’s electoral campaign.
Georgescu will be asked to provide information over two counts: “false statements regarding funding sources” and “communicating false information,” sources say.
Georgescu was on his way to file his candidacy for the presidency when he was stopped in traffic, a statement issued by his team on Facebook claims.
“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,” the statement said.
Supporters of the far-right Party of Young People (POT), which splintered from another far-right party, AUR, and is among Georgescu’s most vocal backers, announced they would gather in protest in front of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
His questioning is part of a nationwide police action that also involves raids against a total of 27 individuals under investigation for a number of crimes, including anti-constitutional actions, possession of illegal weapons caches, instigating racism, fascism and xenophobia and “promoting a cult of personality accused of genocide and war crimes”.
The sweeping raids, taking place at more than 40 locations across five Romanian counties, also include Horațiu Potra, a mercenary previously linked to Georgescu.
Potra, who owns a private military company and is a former mercenary in the French Foreign Legion, was detained in mid-December over allegations of planning large-scale protests in favour of Georgescu.
Potra was investigated on weapons and ammunition charges, as well as public incitement to illegal gatherings, but was ultimately released.
Georgescu came out on top in the first round of Romania’s presidential elections in December, which the country’s constitutional court annulled following the declassification of intelligence reports showing Russian involvement in influencing voters through social media to support the then-relatively unknown candidate.
In recent times, Romanian politics have suddenly come to the fore among top allies of US President Donald Trump, with his Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr all backing Georgescu or criticising Bucharest for annulling the December vote.
This is a developing story and our journalists are working on further updates.
