Romanian police detained six people on charges of attempting to overthrow legal authorities in the country in consultation with Russia. The group was to plan, among others, changing the name of the country, the anthem and the removal of Romania from NATO. A 101-year-old retired general is among the suspects.
The Romanian prosecutor's office informed about the arrests on Thursday. Six people are attempted to overthrow the authorities Romania in agreement with Russia. The suspects were to be created in 2023 with an organized criminal group “in order to undermine the sovereignty and independence of the Romanian state by politically weakening the country's defense capabilities,” it was written in a statement of the unit for prosecution of organized crime (DiCOT).
The group wanted to overthrow the authorities
According to the prosecutor's office, the group was to strive to change power in the country, change the constitutional order and resolve current political parties, and to introduce a new anthem, flag and state names, as well as take action to the speech of Romania with NATO. “Members of the criminal group have repeatedly contacted the agents of a foreign power, located both in Romania and in the Russian Federation,” was written in a communiqué. Two detainees were also to travel to Moscow in the past to seek support for their plans.
Investigators stated that the group had a military structure, and one of its members was a retired general, 101-year-old Radu Theodor. In the past, the man was an important figure in the nationalist party of the Great Romania. He is known for his anti -Semitic views, he has repeatedly praised fascist leadership in Romania during World War II, he denied the Holocaust and said that in his opinion the current government in the country represents the “anti -Russian state, a system organized to rob this country.”
Romania's relations with Russia
Romanian-Russian relations have been particularly tense since the Constitutional Court annulled the December presidential election in connection with the accusations of Russian interference. In the canceled second round of elections, the favorite was the far -right candidate Calin Georgescu. Last week, the prosecutor's office initiated an investigation against him in connection with suspicions of election abuse. Georgescu praised the fascist leaders of Romania from the 1930s and expressed admiration for the policy of the Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Sources in the prosecutor's office, however, announced that the investigation announced on Thursday is not related to Georgescu.
On Wednesday, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that it had released the attache of the military embassy of Russia and his deputy. Diplomats were recognized as Personae Non Gratae the day after the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Moscow of the “series of hybrid activities”. The Kremlin announced the answer to this decision of the Romanian authorities.
See also: The Romanian prosecutor's office initiated an investigation into the presidential candidate
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