Romanian electoral commission suppresses freedom of expression in attempt to counter propaganda

Among them were several posts by the former judge and civic activist Cristi Danilet. His Facebook messages, which expressed voting preferences and criticised various candidates, were classified by the BEC as “political advertising” and Danilet was labelled a “political actor”, leading to the posts’ deletion.

Danilet has challenged the decision, insisting he has no ties to any party or candidate. “I have no connection to anyone, neither candidates nor political parties. I have openly criticised all candidates regardless of affiliation. The authorities are misinterpreting and misapplying the law,” he said in a Facebook post, adding that such measures discourage civic engagement and public debate.

In its defence, BEC stated that the measure is not intended to silence voices but to create a fair and regulated campaign environment. “The same rules that apply to television and print media must now apply to digital platforms,” a spokesperson said early this week.