Prosecutor General's Office opens investigation into George Simion's incitement to public violence

  The Prosecutor General's Office announced on Monday having taken action ex officio to investigate the potential crime of public incitement in connection with a Facebook post by leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) George Simion, in which he instigated the "flaying in the public square" of the members of the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) who invalidated Calin Georgescu's presidential candidacy."The Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice commenced on March 10, 2025 investigations on its own initiative into the commission of the crime of public incitement provided for by Art. 368 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Criminal Code. The prosecutors maintain that on the evening of March 9, with a protest in full swing in Bucharest, the chairman of a political party, who is also a deputy in the Romanian Parliament, made a series of statements inciting violence. We note that the criminal investigation is being conducted in rem in this case," the Prosecutor General's Office said in a release.On Sunday, the AUR Chairman wrote on Facebook that the members of the Central Electoral Bureau who decided to invalidate Calin Georgescu's candidacy "should be flayed in the public square".Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Simion nuanced his statement, claiming that he had meant it figuratively, actually suggesting that the true masterminds of the decision be "flayed of privileges"."Nobody is talking about setting the country on fire. Regarding my statements last night, let me tell you that I have made countless appeals. (...) I believe that the masterminds of the coup d'état must be subjected to exemplary punishment. We must first identify who they are, because we don't know them, for sure they are not those lowly BEC members, and they must be flayed of privileges, they must be stripped of special pensions, they must be stripped and removed from the helm of a peaceful and democratic state," said Simion. Involvement of AUR MPs in Sunday night's violent protests  The interim President of the Senate, Mircea Abrudean, has condemned the presence of some MPs at the protests in the Bucharest Old Town on Sunday evening, stressing that such attitudes contribute to generating instability in Romania, something "does not help us externally and in relations with strategic partners"."[I am] Extremely sad and I strongly condemn the involvement of MPs who were elected by the people to represent them for other purposes than to participate in such violent actions and what happened overall. I certainly do not think that it honors us, it contributes to generating instability in Romania, which surely does not help us externally and in relations with strategic partners (...) I can only condemn the violent attitudes, of whatever nature, of those who choose to demonstrate in this way. I do not believe that it is part of the democratic framework of civic demonstrations to fight with the forces of law and order, to hit and to generate such attitudes," said Abrudean, Monday, at the Senate.Asked about the rejection of Calin Georgescu's candidacy, Abrudean said, "It was made by the competent structure, the Central Electoral Bureau, the reason was exposed in the public space. I do not think I am in a position to comment, because there are competent people there. There are also seven ICCJ [the High Court of Cassation and Justice] judges. There was a 10 to 4 power balance. I believe things should return to some kind of normalcy. I understand the tensions, I understand everyone's desire to express themselves, but this must be done within a normal, legal and democratic framework".According to media reports, three AUR MPs participated in Sunday night's protests in front of the Central Electoral Bureau.