Romania detains 6 on suspicion of plotting a coup in collusion with
Russia
[March 06, 2025]
By STEPHEN McGRATH
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Six people suspected of colluding with Russia
to plot a coup against the Romanian government have been detained,
according to police in the European Union and NATO-member country.
Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, detained all six on
Wednesday for forming a criminal group, which was initially set up in
2023 and had links to Russia.
Police said the group was formed to allegedly undermine the “sovereignty
and independence” of the Romanian state by “politically undermining the
country’s defense capacity."
Investigations supported by Romanian intelligence services revealed that
the group allegedly sought “the removal of the current constitutional
order, the dissolution of political parties,” and the installation of a
new government formed by its members, police said.
“In order to achieve their destabilizing objectives, representatives of
the group actively requested support from officers within the Embassy of
the Russian Federation,” said Romania's domestic intelligence agency,
the SRI.
The group had “a military-type structure” that aimed to negotiate
withdrawal from NATO, which Romania joined in 2004, as well as the
adoption of a new Constitution, country name, flag and anthem, police
said.
“The members of the criminal group would have repeatedly contacted
agents of a foreign power, located both on the territory of Romania and
the Russian Federation,” police said.
Two of the suspects allegedly traveled to Moscow in January this year,
where police allege they had contact with individuals who supported the
organization’s “efforts to take over state power in Romania,” police
added.
Police raids and diplomatic expulsions raise tensions with Moscow
On Wednesday, authorities raided eight homes in the municipality of
Bucharest and the counties of Ilfov, Giurgiu, and Maramures, which
police said yielded “several pieces of evidence” that were seized.
The raids came the same day Romania expelled two military diplomats from
the Russian embassy in Bucharest as tensions soar between Moscow and
Bucharest.
Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision related to
Russia’s military, air and naval attaché, Victor Makovskiy, and his
deputy, Evgeni Ignatiev, over alleged “activities that contravene the
provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.”
The ministry did not provide further details.
“The two Russian diplomats carried out intelligence-gathering actions in
areas of strategic interest and took actions to support the group’s
anti-constitutional actions,” the SRI added in its statement Thursday.
The was no immediate comment from Russia.
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On Wednesday, the Russian embassy described the expulsions as
“unfounded and unfriendly” and said the embassy “reserves the right
to take retaliatory measures."
Russian state news agency TASS on Tuesday reported claims from
Russia's SVR foreign intelligence agency that the EU was seeking to
interfere in Romania's upcoming presidential election. The SVR said
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had asked
Bucharest to bar Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu,
who emerged as the frontrunner in last year’s canceled election,
from participating in the rerun in May.
Georgescu has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past
as “a man who loves his country” and called Ukraine “an invented
state,” but he claims not to be pro-Russian.
The Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the
election two days before the Dec. 8 runoff after Georgescu’s
surprise first-round win. The far-right populist had polled in
single digits and declared zero campaign spending, after which
allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference
emerged. Moscow has denied interfering in the Romanian election
process.
Georgescu under investigation by prosecutors
Romanian prosecutors launched a criminal investigation against
Georgescu last week, accusing him of supporting fascist groups,
“incitement to actions against the constitutional order,” and false
declarations regarding electoral campaign financing and asset
disclosures. On Thursday, a court in Bucharest rejected an appeal by
Georgescu that challenged judicial control measures imposed on him.
Georgescu, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, said on Monday
outside a court in Bucharest that it is “a political case” against
him.
In a separate case last week, Romanian authorities conducted 47
searches in five counties reportedly linked to some of Georgescu’s
associates, which uncovered a large cache of lethal weapons —
including grenade launchers and guns — and several million dollars
(euros) in cash of various currencies.
Prosecutors said the allegations against the suspects included
“false statements regarding the sources of financing” of an
electoral campaign, illegal possession of weapons and initiating or
establishing an organization “with a fascist, racist or xenophobic”
character.
The first round of the rerun of the election is scheduled for May 4.
If no candidate gets more than 50% of ballots, a runoff will follow
on May 18.
It isn’t yet clear whether Georgescu will be able to participate in
the new election.
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