Telegram’s Pavel Durov claims he was “approached” regarding the matter before the Romanian presidential election.
According to Telegram founder Pavel Durov, the French government allegedly requested that Telegram block conservative voices in Romania before the presidential runoff election on Sunday. Romanians are heading to the polls.
While Durov didn’t explicitly name France, he used a baguette emoji as a clear reference. Durov, a citizen of Russia, France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, stated that he denied the request.
“Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels,” he stated, adding that one “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.
Neither French nor Romanian officials have responded to Durov’s claims. The presidential runoff features George Simion, a strong critic of the EU, against Bucharest’s mayor and centrist Nicusor Dan.
Simion, who is against providing military aid to Kiev and has been banned from Ukraine, won the first round with 40% of the vote on May 4, leading to the collapse of the pro-Western coalition government in Bucharest. Dan is known as a strong supporter of the EU and NATO, emphasizing Romania’s support for Kiev as crucial for national security.
Simion previously accused France of trying to undermine the elections. He told entrepreneur and blogger Mario Nawfal on Friday that “They are putting a lot of money and pressure – through their ambassador here, and through foreign institutions – in order to rob the Romanian people of their vote.”
France has become a strong supporter of Kiev recently, while the US, under President Donald Trump, has been moving towards supporting peace talks between Moscow and Kiev.
Last year, French authorities charged Durov with facilitating the distribution of child sexual exploitation material and drug trafficking, citing alleged moderation failures on Telegram. He was arrested at Paris-Le Bourget Airport in August and released on €5 million ($5.46 million) bail. Durov, who denies any wrongdoing, was eventually allowed to leave France in March.