On Sunday, Romania’s electoral commission barred Calin Georgescu, an independent right wing politician, to run for May’s re-run presidential election. He appealed the decision.
In an exclusive interview with European Jewish Press, Câlin Georgescu rejected the ‘’smear campaign’’ against him and stressed that he wants ‘’to be judged by facts.’’
He said that if elected president the Romanian embassy in Israel would be relocated in Jerusalem and he would host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahi in Bucharest.
He also mentioned that his previous statements expressing support for two fascist leaders who led Romania in the 1930s and 1940s, and were behind anti-Jewish legislation and progroms, ‘’were twisted and taken out of context.’’
EJP asked organizations fighting antisemitism to comment Georgescu’s statements.
By Yossi Lempkowicz
On Sunday, Romania’s electoral commission barred Calin Georgescu, an independent right wing politician, to run for May’s re-run presidential election,.
The decision to ban the candidate for the re-run election provoked reactions not only in Romania, where protest rallies occurred, but also abroad.
The electoral bureau said in a statement that it had adopted “the rejection of the registration of the independent candidacy” of Georgescu but didn’t provide any details justifying the decision.
Georgescu, who has appealed the decision, denounced the move in a post on X, speaking of ‘’a direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide.”
“Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!,” he added.
He told European Jewish Press in an exclusive interview: ‘’Anything is possible when you face the Deep State and they fight for power, access to money and their own freedom. I will prevail.’’
Georgescu won the first round of a presidential election last November, but the vote was annulled by Romania’s Cnstitutional Court shortly before the second round was set to take place and as he was leading in the polls with around 40 % of the vote.
The court made the ruling citing allegations of Russian interference in Georgescu’s favor, something that both he and Moscow have denied.
Georgescu has been accused of “initiating or constituting a fascist, racist or xenophobic organization, joining or supporting, in any form, such a group.”
“This is a blatant violation of the rule of law and democratic principles—something unprecedented within the European Union. How can it be that the European Commission does not consider it necessary to formally denounce such an act?”, said the European Conservatives and Reformist (ECR) political group in the European Parliament.
“Calin Georgescu may indeed be an uncomfortable candidate for the so-called ‘pro-European’ elites because he opposes their policies, but in a true democracy that is no reason to deny him his candidacy.’’
Last month, Romanian prosecutors indicted the presidential candidate for ‘’ incitement to undermine the constitutional order, spreading false information, and founding an anti-Semitic organisation.’’
In the interview with European Jewish Press, Georgescu rejected the ‘’smear campaign’’ against him and stressed that he wants ‘’to be judged by facts.’’
He also said that if elected president ‘’zero tolerance against antisemitism would be enforced’’, the Romanian embassy in Israel would be relocated in Jerusalem and he would host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Bucharest.
Asked what he would do to fight antisemitism in the Romanian society if elected president, he said: ‘’Based on recent violent events, I think the real antisemitism can be found in Amsterdam, Paris or Berlin. His policy, as President, he added, ‘’will be zero tolerance against any form of aggression towards all minorities.’’
He also said that his previous statements expressing support for two fascist leaders who led Romania in the 1930s and 1940s, and were behind anti-Jewish progroms, ‘’were twisted and taken out of context’’ and that the subjected was settled by historians and ‘’well-defined by the law in Romania.’’
“The Jewish community is a respected and legitimate part of Romania,’’he added, stressing that the State should not interfere in any way in the life of the Jewish community.’’
Following is the full text of the interview, which was made before Sunday’s electoral decision:
EJP : You are filing for candidacy again. Do you have any concerns that you will be arrested again and barred from running? What do you think the response will be to your effort to file again for candidacy and to any potential impediments?
C.G : Anything is possible when you face the Deep State and they fight for power, access to money and their own freedom. I will prevail.
EJP : We would like to ask you about the Jewish community in Romania. What are your plans for developing this community? How do you see the Jewish community as part of Romania’s future?
C.G : The Jewish community is a respected and legitimate part of Romania. However, I am not sure if there are more jews or israelis in Romania ( few europeans understand the difference). In my opinion the State should not interfere in any way in the life of the Jewish community ( as Belgium did regarding kosher slaughter).
EJP : Prosecutors in Romania have been investigating you on some suspicions of promoting fascist organizations. Can you comment on these accusations?
C.G : Elon Musk, Georgia Meloni or Viktor Orban were also accused of being fascists – now it’s my turn – part of a smear campaign. I want to be judged by facts.
EJP : During the years, you expressed support for two fascists who led Romania in the 1930s and 1940s, including the Legionnaire movement’s leader Zelea Codreanu and pro-Nazi dictator Ion Antonescu who was behind the anti-Jewish progrom in Bucharest in 1941 and later the killing of 280,000 Jews in the framework of anti-Jewish legislation. Can you comment on this, perhaps addressing the Jewish leaders who have expressed concern about the rise of anti-semitism in Europe and with an eye toward new leadership in Romania?
C.G : Sadly, my words were twisted and taken out of context. This subject was settled by historians and is well defined by the law in Romania. Any citizen must obey the law – in special someone who will be President.
EJP: Antisemitism appears to be a problem in Romanian society. What would you do to fight this phenomenon if you are elected president?
C.G : Based on recent violent events I think the real antisemitism can be found in Amsterdam, Paris or Berlin. My policy as President will be zero tolerance against any form of aggression towards all minorities.
EJP : Can you speak about your conversation with Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Anti-Semitism, Amichai Chikli ?
C.G : We had a very lucrative and pleasant conversation. I informed him that our embassy will be relocated to Jerusalem, zero tolerance towards antisemitism will be enforced and I wish to host Mr Netanyahu in Bucharest.
EJP : You said that if elected president you would not support the ICC ruling against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and invite him to Bucharest. You also mentioned that you would move the Romanian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. What are your other plans for bilateral relations with Israel, if you are elected president?
C.G : I want to build a strategic partnership with Israel – IT , agriculture, medical , security – both countries can do magic together.
EJP : Who are your model leaders in Europe and in the U.S.?
C.G : Churchill and Trump.
European Jewish Press asked prominent organizations involved in the fight against antisemitism their comments on Georgescu’s statements:
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Clearly, some of Calin Georgescu’s past comments and praise for controversial historic figures are deeply troubling. His pledge of zero tolerance for antisemitism is of course welcome, but if he is serious then that must start with greater sensitivity in his rhetoric.’’
He added, ‘’ He would do well to acknowledge how his past comments have concerned European Jews and explain what he intends to do about that. We will be watching legal proceedings relating to him and his prospective candidacy with interest.”
Maximillian Marco Katz, Founding Director of the MCA Romania, the Center for Combating and Monitoring Antisemitism, ‘’taking into consideration the answers given by Mr. Georgescu, we do take note of his positive approach to matters related to Israel and to the relations between Israel and Romania.’’
He added that regarding the “zero tolerance for Antisemitism” policy, ‘’despite the very upsetting, unlawful past declaration, and looking forward, we hope that Mr. Georgescu will act, from now on, according to his promises and according to the specific legislation interdicting the public display and the promotion of anything that has to do with the WWII Romanian Legionairs Movement and with the regime of Marshal Ion Antonescu.’’
Kalman Szalai, Secretary of the Action and Protection Foundation in Budapest, which is producing Anti-Semitic hate crime and incident monthly reports, told EJP:
‘’Various past statements attributed to him and his supporters have undoubtedly raised significant concerns regarding Mr. Georgescu’s intentions. However, his declarations of unwavering support for Israel and its right to self-defense, as well as his commitment to a zero-tolerance policy towards antisemitism and a pledge to uphold religious freedom for the Jewish community, are encouraging. These are the kinds of statements we expect to hear from any political leader, with the hope that this policy will be implemented after the elections.’’
Dr; Efraim Zuroff, Holocaust historian and former Director of the Israel Office of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and the Center’s chief Nazi-hunter: ‘’I admit that some of his answers would be received with satisfaction and hope by Romanian Jews, but any person who refuses to relegate the leaders of the Iron Guard, and the Romanian leaders who caused the murder of more than a quarter of a million Romanian Jews, to the garbage pail of history should never be supported for such a lofty position. To do so, would be foolish and dangerous.’’