The Dacian sovereigntists (barefoot in the snow, of course) had an orgasm reading the news that Elon Musk shared on X the statement by Călin Georgescu about the Soros network: „From my point of view, on the first official day (as president – ed.), the entire Soros network will be personally banned by me. (…) They are known, we already know them.”
Of course, Elon Musk could not miss such a reference to the Trumpist crusade, and although he has never shown any sign of caring about Romania and its presidential candidates, he posted it. The key word is "Soros," a Pavlovian reaction, because we cannot suspect Musk, like Trump, of any intellectual sophistication.
Călin Georgescu is not just Musk's useful idiot. He is also Lavrov's, who used Georgescu's statement about Romania's territorial claims against Ukraine as an argument.
But perhaps there was no need for any sophistication, just a bit of common sense to ask some simple questions?
1. What is the concrete Soros network in Romania?
From this point of view, there are many possibilities. I remember that even the anti-Dragnea protesters were accused of receiving money from Soros for each street protest.
Defining is extremely important when we talk about a threat equivalent to "death," meaning closure.
Does Mr. Georgescu somehow intend to personally shut down, as he specified, NGOs and publications that at some point benefited from funding for various programs?
What exactly was illegal in this funding, generally grants obtained through competitions, or in their activities, so as to justify such a measure? And who decided it was illegal? I specify, anticipating accusations or at least questions, that Spotmedia.ro is not funded by "Soros," which by no means implies that we have avoided or consider it a problem to be.
Of course, the public is misinformed, and the image created of this "monstrous" Soros network is that of a kind of cancer that has penetrated the healthy cell of the Romanian state.
What these people do not know is that the demonized funding has contributed immensely to the development of Romanian society, from monitoring the elections in the '90s when fraud was rampant and ballot boxes were being replaced.
They do not know that without this funding, many of the press investigations that not only shook society but also saved lives would not have been possible.
An example is the scandal of the nursing homes, started by the Center for Legal Resources, founded in 1998 by the Open Society Foundation - Soros.
There are journalists now at the peak of hypocrisy, violently attacking the Soros network after benefiting from Soros funding themselves at the beginning of their careers.
Just as many promising young people benefited from studies or training abroad, helped to develop and make themselves known.
That George Soros himself is a figure with lights and shadows is indisputable, that democracy requires some to agree and others not with the principles and political causes he supports is clear, but that does not mean they should be banned, let alone legally functioning NGOs or publications.
What Mr. Georgescu promises is that everything that does not suit him must be annihilated in the name of Trumpist freedom and democracy. And if the closure is challenged in court, Mr. Georgescu personally will dismiss the judges, following Mr. Trump's model?
And Mr. Georgescu tells us that he knows them all, he has the list, so to speak. The list like the fascists and Bolsheviks. Blacklists of those who must disappear. The Georgescu-style democracy that those who do not think that they themselves could be on the next list dream of.
2. How will Mr. Georgescu personally shut down the aforementioned entities on the first, second, or any other day of his term?
The presidential prerogatives do not allow him to do such a thing. Mr. Georgescu already announces that, once installed in office, will he engage in abuses?
I understand there is a big fuss because the Police and the Prosecutor's Office have finally started to apply the legal provision regarding incitement to violence, but it is very good that a presidential candidate promises to close entities from a blacklist by exercising prerogatives he does not legally and constitutionally have.
Romania is promised abuse, arbitrariness, the abolition of democracy, and a large part of it is delighted. They applaud without knowing what, why, demonize what they do not even know, slip into the wave of undefined hatred.
3. Where does Mr. Georgescu know them from?
They know each other, he says. That's what the Bolsheviks used to say. The enemy of the people was known, taken from home at night, from the street during the day, and thrown into prison because it was known who they were. No evidence or legal text was needed. It was known.
Does anyone think that this stamp of being a Soros supporter could be put on anyone who displeases the Power? How was that of enemy of the people?
Călin Georgescu shows all the signs, what he wants, how he wants it, he says openly, as in this case. The choice is ours. And the consequences.