Brussels denies US Congressional allegations of censorship in Balkan ballots
The European Commission has strongly rejected allegations from a US Congressional report accusing the EU of censoring free speech on social media and interfering in national elections. The document specifically highlights last year’s electoral processes in Moldova and Romania as focal points of alleged institutional overreach.
The report claims EU officials exerted "constant pressure" on tech platforms to restrict specific content ahead of elections in Slovakia, France, Romania, and Moldova. It makes 113 references to Romania, where the first round of the now-annulled presidential race was briefly led by candidate Călin Georgescu.
The document also cites a seminar attended by Moldovan President Maia Sandu and former Prime Minister Dorin Recean. It suggests European officials provided "instructions" on social media censorship to Moldovan authorities. None of the officials mentioned have issued formal comments on these specific claims.
However, security policy expert Andrei Curăraru argues the report’s findings are misinterpreted. He notes that the mentioned "influence moments" were standard conferences on disinformation that failed to produce any mandatory mechanisms for platforms or measurable shifts in content flow.
"The report treats Russian interference as a political label rather than a documented regional security threat," Curăraru stated. He emphasized that the US lawmakers overlooked Moscow’s verified attempts to destabilize the electoral process in the region.
European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier clarified that Brussels never interferes in national elections, which remain the sole prerogative of member states. Regnier noted that while platforms like TikTok and Instagram are responsible for their content, free speech cannot be used to shield coordinated manipulation.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
