The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) tried to obtain in court the annulment of some articles of the application rules of Law 334/2006 regarding the financing of parties, after the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP) refused to settle over 13.2 million lei of the expenses declared for the 2024 European parliamentary campaign.
The sums came from loans granted to AUR candidates by businessman Maricel Păcuraru, the man who controls Realitatea Plus, according to documents consulted by G4Media.
On November 7, 2025, the AUR filed an annulment action against the Government at the Bucharest Court of Appeal, requesting the removal of articles 3 para. (2) lit. a) and 28 para. (3) lit. a) from the methodological norms approved by GD 10/2016.
The formation led by George Simion invoked the fact that these provisions introduce “additional conditions compared to those existing in Law no. 334/2006”, extending the application of some rules “to other situations that were not considered by the legislator”.
The complaints of the AUR are related to the conclusions of the verification of the documents related to the electoral campaign for the European Parliament elections two years ago, made by the Permanent Electoral Authority. Following the control, AEP found that nine candidates took loans in their own name that exceeded the legal limit. Five of them received a total of 11.5 million lei from the same individual, Maricel Păcuraru – 2.3 million lei each, according to G4Media sources. Four other candidates, in turn, contracted amounts above the permitted limit from other natural persons.
After AEP refused to reimburse these expenses, the five candidates who had taken money from Păcuraru sued AUR, trying to recover the sums they still owed the financier.
All of them lost their cases at the Ilfov Court, the court rejecting the requests and indicating that any actions must be taken in another legal case.
On May 4, 2026, the Bucharest Court of Appeal rejected the AUR action against the Government.
“Rejects the request to be summoned to court, as unfounded (…). Accepts the request for accessory intervention formulated by the Permanent Electoral Authority“, it is stated in the minutes of the court.
The decision is not final, AUR can file an appeal within 15 days.
ANAF is investigating Maricel Păcuraru’s group of companies
In April of this year, ANAF – Antifraud Directorate announced “the intensification of legal measures for the control and recovery of fiscal obligations” in the case of a group of companies controlled by the owner of a TV station. Official sources cited by G4Media confirmed that it is Realitatea Plus.
The anti-fraud inspectors discovered that three affiliated companies, together with several individuals, appear as the main creditors of the company that holds the television license, with amounts exceeding 30 million lei, without these settlements having actually been made. During the verifications, payments of over 10 million lei to affiliated entities and persons were identified, indicating the existence of circular financial circuits. The investigation also revealed indications of the use of artificial invoicing mechanisms and transfers without real economic substance. The analyzed group consists of over 70 commercial companies, many of which have common administrators or family ties. In total, the companies involved in this mechanism have debts to the state budget of over 259 million lei, mostly in arrears.
ANAF sent official requests to AUR, PNL and over 120 companies that had contracts with the media group, as part of the fiscal investigation targeting the companies controlled by Maricel Păcuraru, according to information obtained by Economedia.
Reality Plus, moved to the US before the CNA decision
The company holding the Realitatea Plus license, PHG Media Invest SRL, was transferred in April 2026 to the American company PHG Media Invest LLC, registered in Wyoming. The move was carried out at the Trade Registry before the CNA approved the change of ownership.
The CNA rejected the television’s request, also citing an ANAF address regarding the fiscal investigation. The board demanded a return to the original shareholding, otherwise the post risks sanctions. The company’s lawyer told G4Media that it will take CNA to court.
