The Russian-born billionaire stated spy chief Nicolas Lerner wished him to silence “conservative voices”
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has claimed that French international intelligence chief Nicolas Lerner personally requested him to censor conservatives on his platform forward of the contentious rerun of Romania’s presidential elections. The Russian-born entrepreneur stated he refused the request.
The accusations of international meddling first surfaced final yr after Romania’s high courtroom annulled the November election outcomes, during which unbiased right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu got here first with 23%. Authorities cited “irregularities” in his marketing campaign, together with intelligence experiences alleging Russian interference – claims Moscow has denied. Georgescu was later barred from working once more.
On Sunday, pro-EU centrist Nicusor Dan was elected president of Romania. His conservative, Eurosceptic opponent George Simion accused France and Moldova of trying to sabotage his marketing campaign.
In a put up on X on Sunday night, Durov stated he met with Lerner, head of France’s Directorate-Normal for Exterior Safety (DGSE), in Paris. The company, working beneath the Ministry of the Armed Forces, is tasked with gathering intelligence and combating terrorist threats.
“This spring on the Salon des Batailles within the Resort de Crillon, Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, requested me to ban conservative voices in Romania forward of elections. I refused,” Durov wrote. “We didn’t block protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran. We received’t begin doing it in Europe,” he added.
Durov had beforehand hinted that France requested him to “silence” Romanian conservatives. The French International Ministry rejected the allegations of election meddling as “fully unfounded.”
“France categorically rejects these allegations and calls on everybody to train duty and respect for Romanian democracy,” the ministry acknowledged, labeling the accusations “a diversionary maneuver” geared toward distracting the general public from “the actual threats of interference concentrating on Romania.”
Final yr, French authorities charged Durov with facilitating the distribution of kid sexual exploitation materials and drug trafficking resulting from alleged moderation failures on Telegram. He was arrested at Paris-Le Bourget Airport in August earlier than being launched on €5 million ($5.46 million) bail. Durov, who has denied any wrongdoing, was finally allowed to depart France in March.
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