December 6, 2024 UPDATE

The latest from domestic and international news

Newsroom, 06.12.2024, 20:00

Elections. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis stated, on Friday, that the CCR’s decision to annul the result of the first round of the presidential elections came as a result of the materials analyzed in the Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) meeting which showed that an external state got involved and influenced the electoral process in favor of a candidate. He specified that what followed was the validation of the parliamentary elections, the convening of the new Parliament, consultations with the parties and the formation of the new government that would set new dates for the two rounds of the presidential elections. The head of state specified that he would remain in office until the new president of Romania was sworn in. “Romania is a safe, solid country and is not in difficulty”, Klaus Iohannis also said. The Constitutional Court of Romania decided unanimously on Friday to cancel the entire electoral process of the presidential elections. The decision was made after the independent candidate Călin Georgescu unexpectedly won the 1st round of the elections, on November 24, and qualified for the 2nd round, together with Elena Lasconi (USR). Georgescu was accused of being favored by Russian interference in the electoral process, mainly through an aggressive and concerted manipulation campaign on TiKTok. At the same time, he was accused of pro-Russian and far-right, pro-Legionary sympathies. Reactions appeared immediately after this decision. “Today is the day when the Romanian state trampled on democracy”, said Elena Lasconi. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stated that the decision of the CCR was the only correct solution. The president of AUR, George Simion, claims on his Facebook page that the cancellation of the presidential elections is a “coup d’état in full swing”. The PNL leadership has stated that it respects the decision of the CCR and supports the stability of the county, the correct functioning of the institutions and respect for citizens. “The decision of the CCR is an unprecedented one, and the state institutions must come with more information regarding the “Georgescu case” in order to restore citizens’ trust, stated the president of UDMR, Kelemen Hunor.

Investigation. The Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICO) announced, on Friday, that it started a criminal investigation, in rem, in connection with Călin Georgescu’s campaign for the presidential elections, regarding crimes of illegal operations with computer devices or programs, attempted crime of disrupting the functioning of computer systems and attempted crime of illegal access to a computer system. On Thursday, the Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) declassified the information received from the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) regarding the electoral campaign run by Călin Georgescu in the presidential elections. Thus, the information presented indicates that the financing of Călin Georgescu’s campaign on TikTok amounted to one million euros, that there were actions by a state cyber actor on IT&C infrastructures supporting the electoral process and that Romania is a target for aggressive Russian hybrid actions . The MIA also says that some of Georgescu’s supporters, involved in promoting and buying votes, are exponents of right-wing extremist, criminal and religious cults, previously involved in promoting pro-Russian, anti-Semitic, anti-NATO or anti-Ukraine narratives , giving as an example the leader of a clan.

St. Nicholas. Christians celebrated on Friday Saint Nicholas, one of the most popular saints, to whom the tradition of giving gifts is related. He was a bishop at the beginning of the 4th century in Myra, the current city of Demre in Turkey. He was very generous and helped those in need in a discreet way. He did it in such a way that the person who received it did not know where the help had come from. Hence the tradition that Saint Nicholas is waited for by children to leave them gifts in shoes on the morning of December 6. Over 800,000 Romanians celebrated their name day on December 6th.

Handball. The Romanian women’s national handball team defeated Sweden, 25-23, on Friday, in the main Group I of the European Championship – EHF EURO 2024, hosted by Austria, Hungary and Switzerland. Following this result, Romania is in 4th place in the group, with two points. On Thursday, the Romanians were defeated, 30-25, by the reigning world champion, France. They will play in the group with Hungary and Poland. Romania participated 14 times in the European Women’s Championship before, winning just one bronze medal, in 2010. In the men’s category, the Romanian champion, Dinamo Bucharest, was defeated, also on Thursday, at home, by the French team Paris Saint-Germain Handball, with the score of 40-33, in Group A of the Champions League. Dinamo suffered its third consecutive defeat in the group. The Romanians will play the next match against the group leader, Veszprem, from Hungary, on February 13, 2025.