Elections in Romania: TikTok makes changes ahead of elections

IPN.md

12 April 2025
11:34

The app TikTok made internal changes in a bid to protect the May Romanian presidential election from foreign interference, EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen announced, IPN reports.

“The changes include better detection and labelling of political accounts and more Romanian language experts, and an additional 120 experts to the Romanian election task force working especially on covert influence campaigns and advertising integrity”, Virkkunen said, quoted by Euronews.

The first round of the Romanian election last November was invalidated on the basis of intelligence reports which allegedly showed Russian involvement in voter influence through social media to support the then-relatively unknown nationalist candidate Călin Georgescu.

Following the reports, the European Commission in December began a probe into the role of the platform during the campaign to check whether it breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) in relation to risk assessment and election integrity. The outcome of the case is still pending.

Photo source: Allison Dinner/EPA-EFE

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The Ambassador of Moldova, summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for alleged violations of the Vienna Convention

by Bolohan Maxim 21.07.2026

Update: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chișinău has confirmed that Ambassador Lilian Darii was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry reiterated, in light of recent developments between the two sides, that all actions taken regarding diplomatic missions accredited in the Republic of Moldova are carried out in strict accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and Moldovan law. At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Republic of Moldova fulfills its international obligations in good faith and will continue to act in full compliance with the norms of international law and the principle of reciprocity in diplomatic relations.

Original report: Lilian Darii, the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the Russian Federation, was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The diplomat was handed a note of protest regarding alleged violations of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, in connection with two incidents involving staff and vehicles of the Russian Embassy in Chisinau, IPN reports.

According to Russian diplomatic sources, the first incident reportedly took place on July 19 in Chisinau, when law enforcement officers allegedly stopped a bus belonging to the diplomatic mission under the pretext of a document check and confiscated its diplomatic license plates without explanation. Russia claims that, during this incident, the police used force and threatened to detain embassy staff. Moscow also claims that the embassy’s request for the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send a representative to the scene of the incident to clarify the situation was ignored.

The second incident reportedly occurred on the night of July 20–21 at the Leuseni border crossing, where embassy employees leaving the Republic of Moldova to transport official cargo to Russia were allegedly detained, without cause, for more than four hours.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Ambassador Darii was informed of a serious violation of fundamental provisions of the Vienna Convention, under which the host state is obligated to provide all necessary assistance for the diplomatic mission to carry out its functions. Russian diplomats also noted that they reserve the right to take symmetrical retaliatory measures.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chisinau said they would issue an official statement later.

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Elections in Romania: TikTok makes changes ahead of elections

IPN.md

12 April 2025
11:34

The app TikTok made internal changes in a bid to protect the May Romanian presidential election from foreign interference, EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen announced, IPN reports.

Photo source: Allison Dinner/EPA-EFE

📢 IPN is on Google News. Subscribe!

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The designated Prime Minister: The upcoming elections in Gagauzia must bring the region closer to Chisinau

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The designated Prime Minister Vasile Tofan aims to build a closer relationship with UTA Gagauzia and asserts that he understands its issues from the experience gained over approximately 15 years of activity in the viticulture sector, including in the region. He believes that the upcoming elections in Gagauzia should contribute to bringing the region closer to the central authorities and to strengthening stability. The statement was made during the Parliament session, where the future executive’s governance program is presented, reports IPN.

Vasile Tofan stated that, recently, Gagauzia has fallen “into the hands of people who do not wish well for the Republic of Moldova”, mentioning the fugitive Ilan Shor. “I very much hope in the wisdom of the Gagauz people and in their ability to understand that such people do not wish well for the Gagauz. Their goals are different: geopolitical objectives and destabilizing the situation”, declared the appointed prime minister.

The designated Prime Minister emphasized that the authorities must gradually restore order, specifying that Gagauzia is part of the Republic of Moldova and must respect national legislation.

At the same time, Vasile Tofan stated that he sees UTA Gagauzia as an important partner in developing economic relations with Turkey, appreciating that the region can contribute to the expansion of exports and attracting investments from this country.

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