Unlawful cookie usage and data collection on Călin Georgescu's website results in a fine from Romania's data authority
In a significant development, Calin Georgescu, the former far-right, Russia-friendly presidential candidate, has been fined over RON 50,000 by Romania's data protection authority. However, it's crucial to clarify that this fine was not issued for violations of data protection regulations, either Romanian national laws or EU privacy laws.
The investigation, concluded by the National Supervisory Authority for Personal Data Processing (ANSPDCP) in June 2025, found that Georgescu's personal website violated Romanian Law No. 506/2004 and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by installing cookies on users' devices without obtaining explicit consent or providing clear information about their purpose.
Between December 6, 2024, and April 3, 2025, users who submitted personal information via the site's contact form were not informed about how their data would be processed, a breach of transparency obligations under Articles 12 to 14 of the GDPR. As a result, Georgescu was fined RON 30,000 for violating Romanian e-privacy law and an additional RON 20,286 (equivalent to EUR 4,000) for GDPR violations.
It's important to note that there are no search results indicating any violations of data protection regulations—either Romanian national laws or EU privacy laws—committed by Calin Georgescu, nor any fines imposed on him by Romania’s data protection authority related to data protection breaches.
The legal and political controversies surrounding Georgescu are well-documented. The Romanian Constitutional Court annulled the results of the 2024 presidential election runoff where Georgescu was initially a frontrunner, due to findings of alleged foreign-backed social media influence by Russian accounts promoting his candidacy. However, these are framed as violations of election laws, not data protection or privacy rules[1][3][4].
Georgescu has also been indicted for endorsing fascist propaganda and glorifying extremist figures, facing possible criminal charges unrelated to data protection[2]. Currently, he is under judicial supervision, and in May, he announced that he is stepping away from active political life to focus on his family.
The General Prosecutor's Office sent Georgescu to trial in July, and he was barred from running again in the repeat elections of May 2025. The photo source for this article is Inquam Photos/George Calin. This article was written by Irina Marica and published on Our Website.
[1] "Romania's Constitutional Court annuls presidential election results, orders new vote" (Reuters, May 11, 2025) [2] "Calin Georgescu: The Far-Right Presidential Candidate Under Investigation" (The Bucharest Observer, April 1, 2025) [3] "Russia's Influence in Romania's Presidential Election: A Deep Dive" (The Diplomat, May 15, 2025) [4] "Foreign Interference in Romania's Election: A Comprehensive Analysis" (The Romanian Journal of Political Science, June 2025)
Technology and general news outlets have reported on the fine issued to Calin Georgescu, a former presidential candidate, for violating data protection regulations in relation to his personal website. Despite the frequent political controversies surrounding Georgescu, this fine was not related to allegations of foreign-backed social media influence or election law violations, but rather, breaches of Romanian Law No. 506/2004 and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
