Arrival in Călugăreni

Călin Georgescu had announced the visit the previous week via Facebook, saying he wanted to shake hands with "those who feed us and give Romania the fruit and sacrifice of their labour". By 7:30 on Sunday morning, dozens of people carrying AUR insignia were already waiting at the traditional fair in Giurgiu county, and local party organisations were distributing images and messages from the gathering. The crowd swelled to hundreds, many holding tricolour flags or placards supporting both Georgescu and AUR.

“România va renaște. Mare este numele Sfintei Treimi!”

Faith and nationalism

Speaking from a stage set among the fair stalls, Georgescu framed the moment in explicitly religious and historical terms. He invoked the 1595 Battle of Călugăreni, when Mihai Viteazu’s forces held off an Ottoman army, telling the crowd that "in 1595, from sacrifice, faith and courage" the ancestors had not bowed. He declared that "our ancestors are watching us now from heaven and asking ’what are you doing?’". The audience responded by chanting "Călin Georgescu is president" and "We do not sell ourselves, we do not give up".

“Suntem neam de voievozi, nu neam de slugi. România noastră nu este de vânzare. Pământul nostru nu este de vânzare. Sufletul nostru nu este de vânzare. Nu ne vindem.”

The farmers’ champion

A large portion of the speech targeted small producers and agricultural workers. Georgescu accused the current regime, which he called a "neo-Phanariot" one, of burdening farmers with unjustified taxes and mistreatment. Respect, he said, was not a slogan but a tangible set of policies: very low or zero taxes, consistent subsidies paid on time, accessible water and energy, and a network of peasant markets, warehouses and processing centres in every county. He urged listeners not to be crushed by their troubles but to unite "one with another and all of us with God".

“Cei care lucrați pământul, sunteți rădăcina vie a acestui neam. Ne faceți o cinste, hrănindu-ne cu rodul muncii voastre.”

Ties to AUR and political tensions

Although the central leadership of the extremist AUR party, including George Simion, did not promote or associate with the event, members from local organisations in Giurgiu acted as de-facto organisers and bodyguards. This is the second time in two months that local AUR cadres have backed Georgescu’s public appearances, following an agricultural fair in Osica de Sus, Olt county, in June. The pattern fuels speculation that Georgescu, who is openly pro-Russian and increasingly distant from the party’s national leaders, may be building a parallel base with the aim of eventually splitting or taking over AUR. Days before the fair, he had clashed on air with Realitatea Plus anchor and former AUR mayoral candidate Anca Alexandrescu, accusing her of playing the government’s game; she retorted that he wanted to lead "through slogans".

Historic symbolism

Călugăreni’s deep historical resonance was not lost on the organisers. The 1595 battle, a rare moment when a much smaller Wallachian force held back the Ottoman Empire, gave Georgescu’s speech its central metaphor of defiance against overwhelming odds. By holding the rally on a Sunday, the traditional market day, he also waded into a local debate about whether fairs should be moved to Saturday so that Sunday could be reserved for church and family. In his pre-visit announcement he had argued that "with time, patience and, above all, love, everything will settle into a good Christian order". The event ended without incident, with the candidate moving through the crowd to shake hands as supporters continued to chant.