VIOLENCE – Leaders of REPER Party have filed a criminal complaint on Monday for acts of public incitement and outrage in the context of Sunday’s clashes at the Central Election Bureau. The complaint concerns the public statements made by the president of AUR, George Simion, the mercenary Horaţiu Potra and the former independent presidential candidate, the pro-Russian and anti-Western extremist Călin Georgescu. According to REPER leaders, the two incited violence against state authorities, directly resulting in acts of vandalism and aggression against law enforcement in the center of the capital-city. The National Liberal Party (PNL) also firmly condemned and rejected any form of violence in public or private life. Over 500 people were identified in the area of the violent protest on Sunday evening at the headquarters of the Central Election Bureau (BEC), and based on the footage of security forces and public sources, the individuals who committed acts of public violence will to be identified and prosecuted, the Bucharest Riot Police says. As a result of the clashes, 13 riot police officers were injured and taken to hospital, four of whom are receiving treatment. The protesters, supporters of Călin Georgescu, also caused destruction. The violence broke out after BEC rejected Georgescu’s candidacy for the presidential election in May. The Bureau invoked the Constitutional Court’s decision to annul the presidential election at the end of last year, stating that Georgescu’s candidacy does not meet the conditions of legality since, by failing to observe the electoral procedure, he violated the very obligation to defend democracy, which is based on fair, honest and impartial suffrage.
DISINFORMATION – The Romanian Riot Police reports that several accounts on TikTok and Facebook are running a disinformation campaign regarding Sunday night’s incidents in central Bucharest. According to the false narratives, the riot police beat women, used rubber bullets and tear gas, brought agitators to cause violence, beat people on the subway and used drones to launch tear gas. All these messages are false, the Riot Police reports, and are intended to manipulate citizens with the aim of provoking other acts of violence.
CHALLENGE – Independent presidential candidate Călin Georgescu announced that he has filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court against Sunday’s decision of the Central Election Bureau to reject his candidacy for the presidential election in May. In response to the request, the rector of the National School of Political and Administrative Studies, Remus Pricopie, filed a memorandum calling on the Court to maintain the ruling of rejecting Călin Georgescu’s candidacy, arguing that its registration goes against constitutional provisions. Also on Monday, a complaint against Nicuşor Dan’s candidacy for the presidency was also filed with the Constitutional Court. The Court announced that it will rule on all complaints filed so far on Tuesday. Announcing Călin Georgescu’s intention to refer BEC’s decision to the Constitutional Court was the leader of the opposition party Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), George Simion. The Central Election Bureau does not have the authority to reject a candidacy on the merits, George Simion argued, accusing the institution of committing an abuse. Simion called on Călin Georgescu’s supporters not to resort to violence if they continue to protest against BEC’s decision.
MEDAL – Romanian athlete Andrei Rareș Toader has won gold in the shot-put event at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands. With a throw of 21.27 meters, Toader managed to set a new national record. Romania ends the aforementioned competition with two medals, Toader’s gold and the silver medal won by Diana Ana Maria Ion in the triple jump event. Seven Romanian athletes took part in the competition in Apeldoorn. (DB & VP)
