RUSSIA HAS DENIED interfering in Romania’s elections as the EU member gears up for the second round of a presidential vote that could see a pro-Russian candidate win.
Far-right contender Calin Georgescu unexpectedly topped the ballot in the first round of voting last month, unsettling Romania’s NATO allies and prompting accusations of Kremlin interference from Romanian authorities.
“The campaign for the Romanian presidential election… is accompanied by an unprecedented outburst of anti-Russian hysteria,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said of the allegations.
“More and more absurd accusations are being made by local politicians, officials and media representatives,” she said.
“We firmly reject all hostile attacks, which we consider absolutely groundless.”
The European Commission said today that it had stepped up its monitoring of TikTok in the context of Romania’s elections after receiving information about possible Russian interference.
Georgescu’s nationalist discourse has hit a mark on social media, particularly on TikTok, where his videos have racked up millions of views.
The second round of the vote will be held Sunday, where Georgescu will face centrist mayor Elena Lasconi.
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