La Francia rifiuta le accuse del CEO di Telegram sulle elezioni rumene incollate

A curious case study what prompted such an action, was it desperation?

Durov’s statement **without details** about the channel has already gained more attention, unfortunately.

His marketing ploys work for children.

People ignore the fact that Durov had an [office in Russia](https://texty.org.ua/articles/112347/eight-signsof-danger-telegram-one-russias-most-successful-projects/) until 2017, constantly [travelled to Russia](https://kyivindependent.com/kremlingram-investigation-durov/), blocked the channels of the [Russian](https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/09/18/telegram-messenger-blocks-navalny-bot-during-russian-election-a75079) and [Iranian](https://www.axios.com/2018/01/05/telegram-blocks-channel-promoting-violence-against-irans-government-1515110927) opposition, the channels of the mothers of the Russian military ‘Buryat Mothers’, and so on, He lied for years in the ‘privacy policy’ that Telegram never gave user data to anyone, although he later admitted that he [had been cooperating](https://www.404media.co/telegram-confirms-it-gave-u-s-user-data-to-the-cops/) with various states **since 2017**.

In parallel with censorship at the request of authoritarian countries, Durov does not block the channel of Russian Nazis from the Rusich group.

It’s a shame that only Russian media write, for example, that the vice president of Telegram messenger Ilya Perekopsky attended the event of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in 2020.

Signal/YouTube/Meta are blocked in Russia, while Telegram is allowed to operate freely. What else is there to add?

Marketing and ignorance work wonders on Western audiences, because how else can you describe the great trust some people have in this project, which has strange [sources of funding](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/articles/2023/10/1/7422200/) and does not pay for itself.

A russian doing russian things? Colour me SHOCKED!

But when propaganda channels planned to overturn democracy on Telegram, did he do something about it?

Well, of course France denies it. They wouldn’t want to admit they’re using the messaging app of every rebellious teen to meddle in politics

How many Romanians use Telegram?

The French Foreign Ministry on May 18 refuted insinuations by Telegram CEO Pavel Durov that Paris sought to restrict “conservative voices” in Romania ahead of a key presidential vote.

Durov, the Russian-born founder of the Telegram messaging app who also holds French and Emirati citizenship, claimed that a “Western European government” requested the company to “silence conservative voices in [Romania](https://kyivindependent.com/tag/romania/) ahead of today’s presidential elections.”

The businessman identified the Western European country only with a baguette emoji, apparently referring to [France](https://kyivindependent.com/tag/france/).

The exchange came shortly before the pro-EU mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, was elected Romanian president, [defeating](https://kyivindependent.com/nicusor-dan-defeats-far-right-simion-in-romanian-presidential-election/) hard-right Eurosceptic George Simion with a lead of seven percentage points.

“You can’t ‘fight election interference’ by interfering with elections,” Durov said on Telegram, claiming he had “flatly refused” France’s alleged request and did not restrict Romanian users or political channels.

Durov is currently [under investigation](https://kyivindependent.com/telegram-ceo-durov-returns-to-dubai-amid-french-investigation/) in France for criminal activity on his messaging app.

“France categorically rejects these allegations and calls on everyone to exercise responsibility and respect for Romanian democracy,” the [French Foreign Ministry](https://x.com/francediplo_EN/status/1924138188722815052) reacted on X.

“France calls on all Romanian political actors to exercise responsibility and defend democracy.”

Accusations of election interference have accompanied the Romanian presidential election since November 2024, when the country’s Constitutional Court annulled the results and ordered a re-run.

The step came after Romanian intelligence agencies pointed to a massive foreign interference and a campaign on TikTok designed to boost pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu. Georgescu, who won the most votes in the first annulled round, was later [banned](https://kyivindependent.com/romanian-far-right-candidate-calin-georgescu-barred-from-running-in-presidential-election/) from running again in May amid charges of activities “against the constitutional order” and other legal concerns.

Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians, who has been banned from Ukraine, then [became](https://kyivindependent.com/despite-russian-backed-georgescu-barred-from-presidential-race-romanias-far-right-still-aim-to-win/) the leading right-wing candidate instead of Georgescu.

“In this context, the recent accusations against France are merely a diversionary maneuver from the real threats of interference targeting Romania,” the French government said.

Various right-wing voices, including senior members of the Trump administration, have criticized the annulment of the original vote and a ban on Georgescu’s candidacy, presenting it as an attack on democracy.

The clash has underscored the growing political and ideological rift between the U.S. under President Donald Trump and the EU.

I saw this message in the morning, this is the reason why we need a European social network.

A Western European government (guess which 🥖) approached Telegram, asking us to silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of today’s presidential elections. I flatly refused. Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels.

You can’t “defend democracy” by destroying democracy. You can’t “fight election interference” by interfering with elections. You either have freedom of speech and fair elections — or you don’t. And the Romanian people deserve both. 🇷🇴