Romanian linked to former presidential candidate Georgescu to face trial

BUCHAREST (Reuters) -Horatiu Potra, an associate of former Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu, will voluntarily return to Romania from Dubai to face trial on national security charges, his lawyer said on Thursday.

The European Union and NATO state cancelled its presidential election last December due to suspected Russian interference in favour of Georgescu, a strong critic of NATO, Brussels and Western support for Ukraine. Moscow denied the allegations of meddling in the election.

In September, Romanian prosecutors indicted him and Potra alongside 20 other people for conspiring to stage violent protests after the election was cancelled.

Potra, a former French Foreign Legion soldier, has been under criminal investigation this year and evaded arrest by flying to Dubai. Romanian prosecutors sought his extradition and said they believed he was trying to seek asylum in Russia.

Lawyer Christiana Mondea told local television station Digi 24 that Potra had informed her he wished to return to Romania to face trial alongside his son and nephew who were also indicted.

"They will return soon, we don't know the exact date yet," Mondea said. "They had wanted to return for a long time but they had to follow procedure."

Britain's Guardian newspaper on Wednesday quoted the head of the Russian Middle East Society as saying he was trying to stop Potra's extradition.

"I can confirm there is no Russian involvement in this story about Dubai, Romania, extradition, criminal trial," Mondea said.

Romania's presidential election was re-run in May and won by pro-European centrist Nicusor Dan.

Georgescu was banned from standing again and placed under investigation in two cases. He and Potra have denied wrongdoing.

During raids on Potra's home in February prosecutors found a large cache of weapons including grenade launchers and hidden cash.

It was unclear when the trial would start.

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie, editing by Ed Osmond)