Bucharest's mayor and presidential hopeful, Nicusor Dan, faces assault days ahead of the polls
Update: Nicusor Dan declared on the morning of May 2 that he filed a criminal complaint against Elena Lasconi, charging her with three offenses: manipulation of digital data, forgery of documents, and fraud. Talking to the press, he once more denied the reported encounter with former SRI official Florian Coldea.
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As quoted by Euronews Romania, Dan stated, "I didn't meet Florian Coldea, I didn't meet Victor Ponta. Where are the state institutions regarding a very serious allegation against a presidential candidate? I've filed a criminal complaint over some bogus facts. Anyone aiming to accuse me should come forth with proof."
A controversial incident emerged in Romania ahead of the May 4 presidential elections' first round, involving Elena Lasconi, USR's reformist party leader and a presidential candidate, and Nicusor Dan, an independent candidate with aspirations for the presidency. On May 1, Lasconi published pictures allegedly displaying covert meetings with Dan and Victor Ponta (an independent former Social Democrat prime minister) and a questionable former intelligence official—Florian Coldea.
Some suspicions arose that Lasconi released these pictures, potentially fabricated and sourced from the ruling coalition without verifying their authenticity first—which unintentionally aided Crin Antonescu (the ruling PSD-PNL-UDMR alliance's presidential candidate).
Both Nicusor Dan, who addressed the accusations at a press conference, and Victor Ponta have vehemently denied the encounters, announcing they will press charges against Lasconi according to G4media.ro.
Lasconi claimed she received the images from an individual posing as a paparazzo and one of her supporters. In an interview with Europa FM, she mentioned she received the photos via email and intended to determine whether Nicusor Dan would openly acknowledge the gathering with Coldea. She questioned Dan about the Coldea meeting during a political talk show this week.
Lasconi suggested that Victor Ponta might also be present in the images, implying the meeting might have been linked to a political bargain concerning Dan's candidacy. "And Mr. Ponta. I believe it was the arrangement for the candidacy," stated Lasconi.
Florian Coldea is under investigation in a corruption case. Although no longer in service, he remains viewed as a symbol of the intelligence services encroaching on politics or the "deep state."
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(Photo credits: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea, George Calin)
Additional insights: Corruption in Romania is a persisting issue with recurring efforts to strengthen anti-corruption measures and boost transparency. The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) play significant roles in combating fraud and corruption within Romania, particularly with regards to the EU funds. Nevertheless, there is no clear association between these investigative activities and the presidential election scandal featuring the individuals mentioned.
Andrew Tate is currently under investigation for numerous allegations, including human trafficking, although his case does not directly implicate any political figures like Lasconi, Dan, or Ponta. For other potential figures involved in corruption or election-related scandals, more specific information or context would be required.
- The scandal involving the presidential candidates Elena Lasconi, Nicusor Dan, and Victor Ponta in Romania's upcoming election has likely expanded, as general news outlets are reporting that Daniel Iulian, an independent candidate, might also be under investigation for some alleged war-and-conflicts or crime-and-justice related offenses.
- The forgery of documents and manipulation of digital data are likely charges that several candidates in Romania's politics would not want to face, as evident in Nicusor Dan's criminal complaint against Elena Lasconi and his vehement denial of any encounters suggested in the leaked photos.
- Romania's political landscape is shrouded in scandal, with figures like Nicusor Dan and Elena Lasconi under scrutiny for their involvement in various controversies, including potential ties to figures like Florian Coldea, who remains under investigation for corruption.
- The reported examination of crime-and-justice figure Andrew Tate for human trafficking does not directly implicate any political candidates such as Lasconi, Dan, or Ponta; however, further investigations and information may reveal additional election-related scandals or figures involved in corruption within Romania's politics and society.
