Influencers and online campaigners of Romania’s far-right candidate are quitting the country after the presidential election was canceled, after authorities began investigating illegal campaigning and reports of Russian interference.
The influencers posted they are leaving Romania, by car or plane, after police and prosecutors began investigating Russian interference in Georgescu’s campaign and illegal funding on TikTok.
They posted images of them at the Bulgarian border and on a plane, HotNews.ro reported.
“George, kiss you, bro’, watch what you do,” said one influencer Makaveli, in a video on TikTok. Makaveli an influencer who received money to posted for Georgescu, quit his campaign after files were declassified showing Russian interference in Romania’s presidential elections.
The Constitutional Court canceled the presidential election two days after files were released showing meddling by a foreign state skewed the election in Georgescu’s favor.
Georgescu, however, said he was grateful to his campaigners, even if they broke the law. “I am honored to be supported by the thugs” and would pardon them if elected president inn an interview with Realitatea TV this week.
“I was accused of supporting me by former prisoners, thugs, Roma. That’s great. Aren’t they human, too? That’s good, I am honored by this,”
One of the influencers, Makaveli posted a picture that appeared to be at the Romanian-Bulgarian border, tagged “goodbye” and “miss you”.
Makaveli tagged other Georgescu influencers, Bamba, and the leader of the Duduienii clan, George Pian. They responded with another clip on TikTok. “Makaveli, take care of yourself, peace man, Bamba take care of yourself too”, replied George Pian posting a photo from a plane window above the clouds.
Makaveli’s video was posted on TikTok on Friday, the day before prosecutors and police officers carried out house searches in the city of Brasov, targeting Bogdan Peşchir, who invested at least one million euros to finance Calin Georgescu’s campaign on TikTok.
In one of the declassified files, the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) said that the TikTok account “bogpr”, used by Bogdan Peșchir, was used to promote Calin Georgescu on the social media platform.
“Uusing the “bogpr” account, he (ed’s note: Peșchir), paid more than one million euros to TikTok. After his name became public, “bogpr” role in financing the promotion of Călin Georgescu on the platform was confirmed by TikTok representatives to Romanian authorities on 28.11.2024″, the SRI said.
According to the Romanian Intelligence Service, TikTok representatives confirmed the identity of user “bogpr” and confirmed he made payments worth $381,000, between 24.10-24.11.2024, to users of TikTok accounts who were promoting Calin Georgescu. The payments were made even after the electoral campaign officially ended, two days before the election.It is illegal to campaign when voting starts, after the campaign has ended.
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