Anna Hartz
Official U.S. Document Lists Lobbying Deal With AUR: Romanian Party Says It’s False
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In recent years, more and more Romanian political parties have been trying to boost their visibility on the international stage.
With major elections coming up, the stakes are even higher.
One party that’s now in the spotlight is AUR, after a document surfaced in the United States linking the party to a $1.5 million lobbying contract, according to Digi24.
According to records filed with the U.S. Department of Justice, AUR signed a contract with an American lobbying firm.
The goal was to raise awareness about party leader George Simion in the U.S., particularly among figures connected to the MAGA movement.
The document says the contract includes interviews, meetings with American officials, and promotional services.
It also lists a payment of $1.5 million, due within 30 days of the agreement.
The report caused quite a stir back in Romania. Some pointed out that the money could have come from public funds, specifically the state subsidy given to parliamentary parties.
But AUR quickly denied everything. The party said there was no such contract and called the entire story false.
“This is disinformation,” the press office stated. They insisted that no money had been sent to any entity in the U.S. or anywhere else.
Marius Lulea, the party’s first vice president, was listed as having signed the deal.
When asked for a comment, he redirected journalists to the party’s press team.
The timing of the news is important. Just last week, George Simion was in the U.S., where he gave several interviews.
He appeared with conservative figures, including Steve Bannon, former advisor to Donald Trump.
In those interviews, Simion spoke about a so-called “coup” in Romania and a “parallel state,” language that echoes American-style political rhetoric.
Despite AUR’s firm denial, the fact remains that the contract was registered on an official U.S. government platform.
Whether the party will face any consequences, or whether more details will come out, remains to be seen.
What’s certain is that international lobbying has now become part of the Romanian political game.