The founder of internet messaging app Telegram has accused the French intelligence service of asking him to censor Romanian conservatives ahead of the country’s crucial election.
Russian-born Pavel Durov is currently being held in France in the Hôtel de Crillon, while he is investigated for accusations of involvement in organized crime using his messaging app.
Durov claimed it was during his stay at the hotel that he was approached by Nicholas Lerner, who runs the DGSE foreign intelligence agency, with the request.
“This spring at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon, Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, asked me to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of elections. I refused,” Durov wrote on X on Sunday night, ahead of the election result being announced.
“We didn’t block protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran. We won’t start doing it in Europe.”
On Sunday night, it was announced that the centrist mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, had won Romania’s presidential election in a shock upset, beating favorite George Simion. Simion ran on an anti-globalist, nationalist platform and pledged to follow the example of President Donald Trump.
France’s DGSE denied the allegation, but did confirm that it had met with Durov “to firmly remind him of his company’s responsibilities, and his own personally, in preventing terrorist and child pornography threats.”
Durov’s accusation was reposted by X owner Elon Musk, who commented, “Wow.”
Earlier on Sunday, Durov had said he had refused a request by a Western government to interfere in the Romanian elections.
“Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels,” he said. The post contained an emoji of a baguette, which clearly implied he was referring to France as the nation that made the request.
The French foreign ministry denied any such interference and called on all to “exercise responsibility and respect for Romanian democracy.”