Marius Lulea criticizes George Simion and challenges his expulsion from AUR

Marius Lulea, the founder and first president of AUR, maintains that he is still a member of the party and harshly criticizes its leader, George Simion. He made the statements on Wednesday on Antena 3 CNN, amid the dispute over his expulsion from the party.

AUR's leadership said that Lulea was expelled because he allegedly failed to pay his membership fee for more than a year. The former first deputy president, however, published bank documents that he says prove he paid his dues and asked George Simion and Dan Dungaciu to present similar evidence.

Lulea says that a party cannot remove its members for expressing inconvenient opinions and accuses AUR of having a “dictatorship.” He says the party is dividing society to win electoral support and warns that its political promises will be punished by voters if it comes to power.

The founder of AUR says he has different views from Simion regarding the party's direction, but denies seeking a return to the leadership. He said that no party president holds the position permanently and that several members share his stance.

Lulea also criticized the political pressure surrounding Călin Georgescu's case, saying that the judiciary must be protected from ultimatums and political influence. The dispute erupted after statements by Dan Dungaciu and Petrișor Peiu regarding his status in the party.