Romanian far-right politician Călin Georgescu admits to meeting with mercenary, legionary leaders
Romanian far-right politician Călin Georgescu (picture, left), who surged to the national political stage after topping the first round of the now-annulled presidential elections, backtracked on previous statements and admitted that he was at the Ciolpani farm where mercenary leader Horațiu Potra (picture, right) and Eugen Sechila met. The politician has been struggling to explain images circulating online which showed he was at the meeting with the two men now placed under judicial control.
Potra, a former Foreign Legion mercenary active in Africa, was apprehended 12 hours after the meeting at Ciolpani heading to Bucharest with numerous associates equipped with money and weapons reportedly ready to incite protest and intimidate journalists critical of Georgescu. He was placed under judicial control on Tuesday, December 10, for a period of 60 days.
Horațiu Potra and his associates were allegedly armed with pistols, blades, and military equipment. “Someone has brainwashed them to come here and cause chaos," the whistleblower who led to their capture said during the 112 call.
The protests were allegedly planned in Bucharest following the Constitutional Court's decision to annul the presidential elections, where Georgescu was to face off against USR's Elena Lasconi in the second round on December 8.
Georgescu initially told friendly TV station Realitatea Plus, the only one he frequents, that he did not know Potra.
"I did not meet Horațiu Potra there (e.n. at the farm). I was there because I was asked to go, but I did not participate in the discussion. My team forbade me to divulge anything. These were not trivial matters. The focus was on removing me and destroying me physically," Călin Georgescu stated, cited by Digi24.
"In the rules imposed by my protection team, I was told not to divulge technical details. My children were threatened at school; we had no heat for three days. It was absolutely natural for the people around me, in whom I have complete trust, to double or triple the protection," he continued.
However, reporters at Digi24 note that Georgescu refused protection from the Protection and Security Service (SPP), the state agency tasked with protecting Romanian officials.
Eugen Sechila, the other participant in the meeting, was also stopped in traffic while attempting to leave the country at the “Henri Coanda” International Airport. The man reported to have far-right, legionnaire views was responsible for Călin Georgescu's security and gathered signatures for his candidacy for the presidency of Romania. He was also placed under judicial control.
Eugen Sechila is already under investigation in a case concerning the promotion of Legionnaire symbols.
Romanian prosecutors are conducting another series of home searches on Friday, December 13, targeting individuals who have posted messages inciting acts of violence (such as calls for uprisings in the streets, killing public figures, or bombing public buildings) or messages promoting hate and violence based on ethnic, racial, or religious grounds. Police posted images of pistols and knives found during the searches.
The searches are part of a crackdown on far-right activists initiated after the Romanian Constitutional Court annulled the presidential elections due to Russian interference.
(Photo source: Inquam Photos | George Calin and Octav Ganea)
