Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo delivered a speech at Harvard University in the United States on Friday, during which he talked about Russia’s intervention in the presidential elections in Romania.
„When we say we respect democracy, it means we do not interfere in elections taking place in other countries.
(It means) we respect this principle; (it means) we respect the election results. I believe that EU countries have fully respected the election results.
But please do not interfere in elections! And Russia interfered in the (elections in) Romania, we denounce that!"
"I don't think we can allow partner countries to interfere in each other's elections," said the Belgian Prime Minister in an extensive statement at the Harvard European Conference at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Below is the full speech, with the statement about Romania at minute 31.
Romania, along with France, Germany, and nine other countries in the European Union, this week called on the European Commission to use its prerogatives under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to protect the integrity of European elections from foreign interference, as stated in a letter signed by the 12 countries.
In the letter, Ministers of European Affairs from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, and Spain called on the Commission to honor its promises to create a European body dedicated to combating manipulation and foreign interference in information.
Russia's involvement in the November elections in Romania is supported by external press investigations, which have traced the money trail, strong evidence contained in declassified intelligence documents, and statements from foreign leaders.
In declassified documents after the elections, the Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE) maintains that Romania is a target for Russian hybrid actions, including cyber attacks, information leaks, and sabotage.
Romania—along with other Eastern NATO flank countries—has become a priority for Russia's hostile actions, with increasing Kremlin interest in influencing (at least) the agenda in Romanian society in an electoral context through:
- propaganda and disinformation (including the use of emerging technologies in targeted activities on specific groups and communities - e.g., by aggregating publicly available data - e.g., political, economic, and media consumption preferences - and implementing generative artificial intelligence modules to transmit tailored propaganda messages, in real-time, at the individual level);
- supporting Eurosceptic candidates and fueling anti-system movements, including by "involving them in protests to steer the public agenda;
- encouraging discontent/provoking emotional reactions among the population to pressure authorities to reduce/stop support for Ukraine.