Just days before a crucial presidential runoff election in Romania, the nation’s top soccer official has issued a powerful call for voters too uphold the country’s pro-European stance.
Razvan Burleanu, president of the Romanian Football Federation and a member of FIFA’s ruling council, urged fans to remember the importance of European values in a video message released Thursday. “Through European values, we are building not only a stronger nation, but also sport that will be a source of pride for everyone,” Burleanu stated.
Romanians will head to the polls on Sunday to choose between Calin Georgescu and Elena Lasconi, a pro-European candidate from the Save Romania Union party. The election has become a focal point for concerns about Romania’s relationship with Russia.
Georgescu has faced criticism for his perceived admiration of Russian President Vladimir Putin.Romanian intelligence agencies have even released reports alleging that Moscow orchestrated an online campaign on platforms like TikTok and Telegram to boost Georgescu’s standing in the first round of voting.
Burleanu himself has been a vocal advocate for maintaining a strong stance against Russia in the world of soccer.Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in Febuary 2022, Russian teams were banned from European competitions. Burleanu joined political allies at UEFA last year to oppose a proposal that would have allowed Russian under-17 national teams to return to play.
In his message to fans, Burleanu emphasized the security and freedoms Romania has gained since 1989, when the pro-moscow communist regime was overthrown, by aligning itself with NATO and the European Union.
the upcoming election is being closely watched as a barometer of Romania’s commitment to its pro-European path.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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