A journalist who exposed Russian meddling in last year’s Moldova referendum has won the top prize in the prestigious Ion Rațiu Investigative Journalism Award.
In an address made at the award ceremony of the 2025 annual Ion Rațiu Investigative Journalism Award at the Superscrieri Awards Gala, attended by some 250 journalists and sponsors in Bucharest, Nicolae Ratiu praised the reporting and urged journalists continue to investigate Russian meddling in Romania and Moldova.
Mariuta Nistor made an undercover video report of working with hired and paid activists by Russia sympathizer convicted crook Ilan Sor in the October 2024 Moldovan referendum for or against EU entry. Despite Sor spending some €15m on the campaign, the pro-Europe camp won the vote,” Mr. Ratiu noted.
“As typically happens with such crooks much of it disappeared into intermediaries’ pockets on the way,” Mr. Ratiu, the son of the late Ion Ratiu added.
“Last week our country had the most narrow of escapes from a nightmare – a nightmare certainly for you journalists. You all heard how George Simion declared that you would be finished,” Mr. Ratiu warned the audience.
Centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan defeated nationalist Simion in the May 18 runoff of the presidential election. Mr. Simion, who was the frontrunner, threatened journalists he would deal with them ‘individually’ for critical reporting.
“He was very serious. It was no joke. Autocratic leaders do not have any sense of humor and a free press in an authoritarian regime is impossible,” Mr. Ratiu said warning that “Russia will now be even more determined to take power in Romania – they have declared so openly – unless stopped they will do it via AUR (Eds: Mr. Simion’s nationalist party) working on it up to the next election which should be in four years time but could even be in four months, even four weeks.”
“I would ask you therefore to do two things – seek out and publish instances of Russian interference and influence, but always also reminding people of the horrors of Russia‘s occupation of Romania immediately after World War II,” Mr. Ratiu said.
“There are still survivors of that period alive today. Get their stories. Second: Simion, Georgescu and AUR should be discredited in the eyes of their supporters, exposed for the corrupt, law-breaking, violent, destructive and dangerous movement they are, and for the regime they will impose,” he continued.
“Some of you are already doing this, but for our own and Romania’s future I urge all of you to take these threats very seriously and act to defend ourselves. We certainly do not want to relive this nightmare again in four years time.”
Three mentees on the Ratiu Forum won 1st prizes at the awards- Audio/Podcast – Iulia Hau ( La Pas Molcom), Debut Jurnalistic – Ștefania Gheorghe ( Hotnews) and Raluca Cristea ( Scoala9) 2nd prize.
A” very satisfying result!” he added.
