Romanian presidential candidate George Simion, Bucharest, May 13, 2025 © Andrei Pungovschi / Getty Images
The Romanian presidential candidate George Simion accused the pro-European government in neighbouring Moldova of attempting to fake Sunday supplementary elections.The Eurosceptic leader of the Alliance for the Romanian Union (AUR) placed first in the first circular of the rerun of the presidential election on 4 May, winning over 40% of the vote.
About 30% of Moldova's population are Moldovan-Romanian citizens.Simion supporters say that early attendance among Romanians voting in Moldova is suspiciously advanced – nearly 3 times higher than observed in the same period during the first round."Enough run – now we must halt mass fraud! The government in Moldova began stealing votes. We will not let them!”– Simion wrote on Facebook on Friday.AUR claims that the Moldova's ruling Action and Solidarity organization (PAS) urges voters to support Simion's opponent, mayor of Bucharest Nicosor Dan.
"By 13:00, more than 50,000 votes were cast by the diaspora – an increase of nearly 70% compared to the first round. These figures are not random’ – wrote the organization on its website.AUR besides accused Moldovan Pro tv Chisinau of leading "illegal and biased run for the establishment candidate" and to manipulate voters "under the cover of independent journalism".The Chisinau denied that he would interfere in the election.
"Out of respect for voters, we call on all political actors to refrain from making accusations that service only to undermine this democratic undertaking" said government spokesperson Daniel Voda.
He encouraged Romanian citizens surviving in Moldova to vote "without fear."The rerun of the election was ordered after the Romanian Constitutional Court annulled the results of the November elections, in which the independent right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu ranked first with 23%.Authorities have cited ‘irregularities’ in his campaign, as well as intelligence reports about Russian interference – why Moscow denied it.Simon condemned the annulment of the 2024 election results as "state bombing".
He is presently banned from entering Moldova, which he called "artificial country’who "never join the European Union."
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/news/61777-romania-moldova-vote-rigging/
