The U.S. State Department has expressed concern about reports of a Russian cyber attack on the Romanian presidential election and urged authorities to fully investigate reports of sabotage.
It said that Romania’s commitment to NATO and the EU could not be thwarted by “foreign actors” seeking to switch Romania’s foreign policy away from the West.
“We are concerned by the Romanian Supreme Council for National Defense (CSAT)’s report of Russian involvement in malign cyber activity designed to influence the integrity of the Romanian electoral process,” a statement from Matthew Miller, U.S. Department of State spokesman released early Thursday said.
It said the data referenced in the report “should be fully investigated to ensure the integrity of Romania’s electoral process.”
Romania’s top security council on Wednesday declassified documents describing Russia’s alleged involvement in the first round of its presidential elections.
One document detailed how Calin Georgescu, the leading far-right outsider candidate, was massively promoted on social media platform TikTok through coordinated accounts and paid promotion.
The involvement from a ‘foreign state actor’ was similar to the Russian attack on Ukraine prior to the February 2022 invasion. Millions of euros were paid to TikTok influencers “to manipulate and divide Romanians,” the report said.
In its statement, the U.S. State Department said it valued Romania as a strong NATO Ally and EU partner.
It warned that “Romania’s hard-earned progress anchoring itself in the Transatlantic community cannot be turned back by foreign actors seeking to shift Romania’s foreign policy away from its Western alliances. “
“Any such change would have serious negative impacts on U.S. security cooperation with Romania, while a decision to restrict foreign investment would discourage U.S. companies from continuing to invest in Romania.
Haaretz: A Far-right President in Romania Would Be Putin’s Proxy of Chaos in NATO and the EU
