Bucharest Mayoral Candidate Accused of Securitate Ties Days Before Election
Bucharest mayoral candidate Gheorghe Nețoiu is facing scrutiny just two days before the election after the National Council for the Study of Security Archives (CNSAS) revealed evidence suggesting he was a member of the Securitate, the Romanian secret police, between 1985 and 1989. The revelation raises questions about his past and compliance with legal requirements for candidates.
The CNSAS confirmed receiving a personnel record sheet on November 25, 2025, indicating nețoiu served with the Security of the Municipality of Bucharest during the communist era. This disclosure comes as Romanians prepare to vote and highlights the enduring legacy of the Securitate, decades after the fall of communism. Legally, Nețoiu was required to declare whether he engaged in political policing activities prior to 1989, a declaration that is now under review.
The news evokes a complex history for many Romanians, including dissident poet Mircea Dinescu, who recounted a telling anecdote about his interactions with security personnel during the communist regime. Dinescu described being offered apples by security guards while under surveillance, a seemingly mundane exchange that underscored the pervasive control of the Securitate. “I took apples and when I go out,the two security guards who were there,a younger one asks me: Mr. Dinescu,what do you have there? I say: apples. Well, where from? Well, I say, it’s probably under (no – under the stall),” Dinescu recalled. He ultimately ended up giving apples to those who were tasked with monitoring him.
Ironically, Dinescu and Nețoiu later became neighbors in Cetate, Dolj county, after the 1989 Revolution, with Nețoiu transitioning into business and eventually football club ownership.
The CNSAS statement confirms the information pertains to Gheorghe Nețoiu, born August 1, 1959, and a candidate for the position of general mayor of Bucharest. The timing of the announcement, so close to the election, is likely to fuel debate and potentially impact voter decisions.
